Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Sesotho by Freddy Sonakile
The North West Department of Cooperative Governance and Human Settlements has confirmed a housing backlog in the province denying more than 300 000 families access to a decent home.
COGHSTA MEC Nono Maloyi admitted that the department forfeited R262 million intended to address the housing backlog over the last two financial years due to its inability to effectively spend the money.
The North West housing backlog is as follows:
- 86 635 units in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District;
- 24 846 units in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District;
- 145 279 units in the Bojanala District; and,
- 61 845 units in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District.
This backlog is further exacerbated by the thousands of incomplete housing projects dotted all over the province.
While the department indicated that it budgeted for the purchase of 3 000 hectares of land for every financial year, more needs to be done. Having land lie fallow instead of developing integrated and serviced community housing on the land is just a waste of money.
It appears that the department really has no interest to improve the living conditions of beneficiaries who have been on housing lists for decades.
The DA propose that Provincial Treasure consider tabling an adjustment budget to address the housing backlog. In addition, we will write to the South African Human Rights Commission engaged in an inquiry into incomplete housing projects, to consider including a recommendation in its report that more funding should be made available to address the housing backlog and that all related expenditure be subject to real-time auditing to prevent fraud, corruption and theft.
The ANC’s track-record in delivering quality housing opportunities in North West is absolutely shameful. This stands in stark contrast with the DA Western Cape government’s track record which, despite receiving less grant funding from the national government, managed to deliver more than 20 000 housing opportunities a year on average over the last three financial years, exceeding its own targets. This is how the DA in government uplift people from poverty, and we can do the same in North West if residents vote DA in 2024.