By
Hon. MA Mncwango, MP
Honourable Chairperson,
The 2014-2019 Human Settlements development medium term strategic framework programme ambitiously hits all the right notes in terms of striving to provide adequate housing and better living conditions for our citizens and is commendable.
In our past experience though, there is a great divide between planning and actual implementation, particularly in terms of the quality of workmanship, which has played a major role in project delays and roll-outs and a source of great frustration and expense, when it comes to homes having to be rectified and even re-rectified due to consistently poor workmanship.
Qualitative targets must be met and achieved. This largely starts and ends with the eradication of ‘cronyism’ and ‘tenderpreneurship’ from the supply chain process regarding the awarding of tenders.
Inconsistencies between strategic and annual performance plans must continue to be monitored and narrowed. In this regard the placing of control measures which include branch and programme managers being required to prepare reports on the progress on achievement of planned indicators and targets is very welcome and to be commended.
Honourable Chairperson, there are still many South Africans living in filth and squalor in informal settlements with little or no access to basic services.
Many of our hostels remain in conditions not fit for livestock, are overcrowded and are in critical need of maintenance, but there is no budget for this!
Backyard dwellers are also on the increase with some homes having more than 50 people living on a small property, in very confined spaces, and without access basic services.
These are the very real problems and challenges that confront many South Africans today on a daily basis.
To a large extent the problem arises at provincial level with provinces failing to adequately plan for Human Settlements. The Department has shifted money due to Limpopo, due to failure by Limpopo to adequately plan for utilisation of same, whilst Gauteng doesn’t spend its entire allocation from Treasury, which is shocking especially since informal settlements are mushrooming around the province.
Local government also experiences a great divide in Human Settlements’ service delivery between municipalities that are accredited and those that are not and the capacitation of officials remains a challenge.
Government says “we are doing all we can”, we say “you are not doing enough” and that you can do better. This Department can do better and this is the kind of culture that we would like to see develop here. A culture in which every Rand spent, is well spent! A culture of accountability and quality service delivery and we think that the Honourable Minister is the right person to lead this evolution in departmental thinking and the way it conducts its business.
We support the Minister, the Director-General and department officials. We support this budget vote debate.
I thank you.
