On Thursday, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on CoGTA & Human Settlements will launch an Inquiry aimed at resolving the housing backlog in the Province. Led by Honourable Chairperson, Mohatla Phutas Tseki, the Portfolio Committee resolved to launch the inquiry due to the existing housing backlog which affects housing delivery in pursuance to section 26 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to every citizen to have access to adequate housing.
The main focus will be on the role of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements in the delivery of houses and the identifiable weaknesses that relates to the performance of the Department on housing matters. Through the inquiry, the Committee will also tackle other related matters such as allocation, subsidy, title deeds etc, to ensure that the Department responds to issues raised. The inquiry will further address the high number of protests that are caused by the increased demand of housing in Gauteng, and afford citizens a platform to engage with authorities and work towards solutions to the backlog.
The inquiry will address challenges in providing housing and title deeds to some of the applicants of housing from a period of 1996 to 2006. Contributors to the challenges will be addressed by the Committee inquiry through formal hearings where evidence will be presented by witnesses. The Inquiry will ultimately address the broad question of: What contributes to the current challenges of Housing delivery and/or Housing backlog?
It is envisaged that the Inquiry will have sustainable benefits that include: obtaining a better understanding of the country’s housing need and backlog; Planning and budgeting better to enable the delivery of housing based on identified need; and Understanding the dynamics and needs of the potential beneficiaries on a household level. The immediate benefits of the Inquiry all aimed at cutting the backlog of housing within the province include: A single integrated database of potential beneficiaries; Captured data verified for accuracy; Integration with existing provincial data (depending on quality and usability); Comprehensive decision making capabilities; Aligned reports and statistics on housing needs information from all provinces; and Allocation of housing opportunities in a manner that greatly reduces mal-practices and corruption.
The Committee Inquiry Launch will be held as follows:
Date: Thursday, 1 February 2018
Starting Time: 10:00
Venue: Ramosoto Hall, Tembisa
The 1st Inquiry Hearing will be on Tuesday, 6 February 2018 in Soshanguve, Tshwane. The findings of the inquiry will include recommendations which will be tabled for consideration and adoption by the House. Committee Inquiry is one of the mechanisms used by the Legislature to hold the government accountable.
Members of the media are invited to attend.
For more information or interview queries, contact: Pfano Bulasigobo on 011 498 6381 / 060 533
1982 email: PBulasigobo@gpl.gov.za OR Thabisile Nzuke on 011 498 5416 / 082 619 4411 ISSUED BY THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE
