Limpopo occupies top spot in housing delivery in the country

By: Emmaculate Cindi

Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) has tabled R1.2 million budget in the beginning of 2017/2018 financial year.

For the past two financial year 2013/14 and 2014/15 the department had experienced serious challenges relating to human settlement delivery due to the irregular procurement of the R900 million low cost houses followed by the withholding of the human settlement grant and subsequent intervention by National Treasury.

The delivery in the province had taken down ward spiral dive to an extent that housing delivery yielded to zero houses which is equal to 20% in the 2014/15 financial year.

The province has since improved since the implementation of a multi-pronged turnaround strategy that was facilitated by a task team led by the provincial department CoGHSTA, supported by the Provincial Treasury and the National Department of Human Settlements.

The turnaround strategy was a commitment to restore the dignity of the poor and those that are homeless in the province. From delivering 0% houses in 2013/14, the province now occupies the top spot in housing delivery in the country at 105% which is 13 901 units against the target of 13 290 by the end of 2016/2017 financial year.

This achievement is followed by the Western Cape Province at 102%. Despite the two provinces being at the top of the nine provinces, housing is still a major challenge in the country with the long waiting list and budget as the main constrain.

The completed houses are set to benefit almost 40 000 beneficiaries. Out of 13 901 housing units, 8 406 are low cost houses (RDP Houses), 250 being community residential units at Marapong, Lephalale, 400 are emergency housing assistance across the province, 100 are enhanced people housing project, 500 are blocked projects and 300 are financed linked individual subsidy programme in Northam and Bendor