Limpopo government fails to build 50% of promised houses

5 August 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo is disappointed that the Department of Cooperative Governance, Housing and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) did not meet their housing targets during the 2014 to 2019 period.

The target for the last 5 years was to build 80 600 houses, but after the long wait 38 904 beneficiaries will not receive their houses by 2019 due to poor planning, late appointments of contractors and weak leadership by the Department of COGHSTA.

Human Settlements is one of the key National Development Plan programs giving access to adequate housing, particularly to the poor.

During the 2014 to 2017 financial years, this department returned R1.466 billion meant for housing and is expected to return funds again this financial year.

A further 4 030 units from the 2017/18 financial year were not built and taking into account the department’s dismal track record, it is doubtful that the current financial year’s target of 7 450 units will be met.

The department was only able to transfer title deeds of 14 555 units for the same period, and still aims to transfer title deeds for 5 500 units for the current financial year.

The DA will write to the new MEC for COGHSTA, Bioskop Makamu, to prioritise housing in Limpopo by not reappointing contractors who default on their contracts, as well as to have a transparent tender process to allow for more contractors who meet the criteria to apply and be appointed in order to work hard to catch up on the current backlog.

The DA believes that home ownership provides dignity to residents who live in their own homes and upon completion of houses, title deeds should immediately be rewarded to the rightful beneficiaries.

Issued by Jacques Smalle, DA Limpopo Spokesperson on COGHTSA, 5 August 2019