MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ON

OVERSIGHT VISIT TO MPUMALANGA DATED 24 TO 30 JULY 2011:

PROGRESS MADE ON RECOMMENDATIONS.

RESPONSES TO RESOLUTIONS

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INTRODUCTION

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The Portfolio committee on Human Settlements undertook an oversight visit to Mpumalanga on 24 to 30 July 2011.

Subsequently resolutions taken by the committee were forwarded to the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements to respond on issues raised.

15. Asbestos roofing should be eradicated and replaced with proper roofing system as this is a health hazard to communities (Nkangala District Municipality)

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Nkangala:There are no houses in the District that were roofed by the

Department using the asbestos roof sheets since 1994.The units that they are referring to were roofed using the

Nutex Big Six by Everite roofing productsThe province has done an assessment on all the units that

were roofed using this product in the Nkangala District Municipality and the rectification process has started.

The Department has completed the re-roofing of 142 units in Rebone and 99 units in Ramogeletsane under Dr J S Maroka Municipality.

The Department has appointed a service provider to re-roof 175 units at Emalahleni and 52 units at Victor Khanye.

The service provider will commence with work during the financial year 2012/13.

The balance of the Units will be attended to in the current financial year 2012/13.

16. Full detailed report on land purchased (R95 million spent in 2008 by the Province, how much land was utilised by each benefiting structure i.e. the municipalities and Social Housing Association. How big is the land purchased for Mbombela, when and in which specific areas?

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The following portions of land were purchased: EHLANZENI

Discription of Land

Price paid Broken down Properties

Registration Date

Property Size (Hectares) Status

Portion 98 of the farm Friedenheim 282 JT 5 987 000.00 2008/06/06 4.8787

Registerred Mbombela Municipality

Friedenheim 282 JT 12 hect (Portions

99,100 & 140)10 578 308.45 Portion 99 2008/06/25 5.0747

Registerred Mbombela Municipality

6 758 761.18 Portion 100 2008/06/06 4.8714Registerred Mbombela Municipality

4 417 487.41 Portion 140 2008/06/03 1.9626Registerred Mbombela Municipality

11 000 000.00 Holding 18 2.5857Registerred Mbombela Municipality

16 000 000.00 Holding 19 2008/06/05 4.7041Registerred Mbombela Municipality

White River X 71 8 500 000.00 Holding 20 2008/05/13 4.7041Registerred Mbombela Municipality

6 500 000.00 Holding 96 2008/05/20 4.5146Registerred Mbombela Municipality

16. Full detailed report on land purchased (R95 million spent in 2008 by the Province, how much land was utilised by each benefiting structure i.e. the municipalities and Social Housing Association. How big is the land purchased for Mbombela, when and in which specific areas? Cont...

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Discription of Land

Price paid Broken down Properties

Registration Date

Property Size (Hectares) Status

Portion 32 of the Farm Zondagsfontein 124 IS (Kinross) 9 690 000.00 2008/05/20 38.1184

Registerred Govan Mbeki Municipality

Portion 130,131,132,133 of the Farm Winkelhaak 135 I.S (Evander) 1 904 558.82 2008/06/30 4.6891

Registerred Govan Mbeki Municipality

16. Full detailed report on land purchased (R95 million spent in 2008 by the Province, how much land was utilised by each benefiting structure i.e. the municipalities and Social Housing Association. How big is the land purchased for Mbombela, when and in which specific areas? Cont...

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Discription of Land

Price paid Broken down Properties

Registration Date

Property Size (Hectares) Status

Erf 9204 Middelburg X 18 4 200 000.00 2008/06/10 0.6620

Registerred Steve Tshwete Municipality

17. Ensure provision of adequate qualitative and sustainable sanitation infrastructure to the communities and expand the capacity to roll-out and accelerate sanitation programmes. It is also recommended that greater priority should be given to Amsterdam, Dipaliseng and Mkhondo Municipalities. Urgently communicate with the municipalities and make sure that the residents of Rooikoppen are connected to sewer.

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This falls within the scope of the National Department of Human Settlements.

18. A list of all villages benefited from sanitation provision managed through the Department of Human Settlements during the 2010/11 financial year in Nkomazi Municipality should be provided to the Committee. The report should be forwarded to the Committee within a month after the receipt of the report.

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This falls within the scope of the National Department of Human Settlements.

 

19. Names of places where farm worker assistance projects was to be constructed.

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Nkomazi – Stratmore Farm 65 UnitsMbombela Municipal Area – Various

Projects – 29 UnitsUmjindini – Dixie Farm and Esparado 89

UnitsThaba Chweu – Shega Farm 23 UnitsSteve Tshwete Municipality – Doornkop 32

UnitsEmakhazeni Municipality – Van Wyks Vlei –

50 Units

20. Detailed information on how Burn Stone Mine has assisted in building the houses. How many houses and how much contribution in each house was made?

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Burstone Development Trust was allocated 100 housing units in the financial year 2008/09 .

Burstone made an undertaking to add R10 000 to each unit built.

During the construction process they were unable to live up to their undertaking.

Only 98 units were completed due to problems discovered during construction.

One site was on a refuse dumping site and one located in a park.

The municipality promised to identity sites for the approved beneficiaries.

21. Provide a detailed list of job opportunities created through housing delivery in the province impact to communities and types of skills transferred.

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4 620 temporary jobs were created during 2011/12 financial year.

22. Strengthened public participation with the communities and in

particular with the traditional leaders.

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Presently the Department is interacting with both the Municipalities and Traditional Leaders during the inception, implementation and hand over of projects.

23. Municipalities need to regularly update beneficiary lists

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The Provincial Department has noted this remark by the Committee and will advise the municipalities accordingly.

24. Monitor municipalities and contractors when handing over houses as they are alleged that coercing and bribing beneficiaries to sign happy letters even though houses show defects.

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The Departmental inspectors are inspecting and certifying payment, for every milestone and unit in a project.

In an event where shoddy work is discovered the inspector who certified such work is dealt with in terms of the Public Service Regulations.

25. Ensure that more housing inspectors are appointed as the shortage of such capacity comprises the quality of houses delivered.

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The Department has allocated Inspectors per district to maximise inspections and quality assurance at local level. The allocation per district is as follows:-NKANGALA DISTRICT

1 x Acting Director8 x Project works Manager3 x Inspector1 x Project Manager ( Project Management Unit)1 x Engineer4 x Cuban Professional

25. Ensure that more housing inspectors are appointed as the shortage of such capacity comprises the quality of houses delivered. Cunt...

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GERT SIBANDE DISTRICT1 x Acting Technical Director 3 x Deputy Director working as project works

manager9 x Project works manager1 x Professional Engineer1 x Project Manager (PMU)3 x Technical Inspector (PMU)3 x Cuban Professional

25. Ensure that more housing inspectors are appointed as the shortage of such capacity comprises the quality of houses delivered. Cunt...

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EHLANZENI DISTRICT1 x Director4 x Deputy Director10 x Project Works Manager3 x Inspector (PMU)1 x Project Manager (PMU)1 x Engineer4 X Cuban Professional

SITE INSPECTION PROGRAMMEDepending on the number of approved projects in the

district, the department distributes projects equally to Inspectors in all local municipalities.

Inspectors and Engineers are expected to be on site 3 days in a week.

NHBRC and Municipal inspectors also assist in monitoring the delivery of quality projects.

26. Provide a list of projects to be unblocked with plans to unblock them

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The Department has 2 blocked projects, one is at Mbombela in Ehlanzeni and the other is at Dr JS Moroka in Nkangala. A list is enclosed as annexure A.

27. Provide a list of informal settlements which would include clear plans and programme on how these would be upgraded or eradicated

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A detailed list of informal settlements in the Province is attached as annexure B.

A summary of the number of informal settlements in the Province is as follows.:Nkangala Region:

46 Informal Settlements 38130 number of Households

Gert Sibande Region 65 Informal Settlements 34727 number of Households 

 Ehlanzeni Region

13 Informal Settlements 5151 number of Household

Overall there are 124 Informal Settlement in the whole Province and 78008 number of Households

27. Provide a list of informal settlements which would include clear plans and programme on how these would be upgraded or eradicated. Cont...

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Plans for upgrading Informal SettlementsThe Informal Settlement Directorate has

developed a Checklist which indicates areas to be attended and role players in reaching the desired goal of upgrading the Informal Settlements.

The Checklist has bee submitted to National Department of Human Settlements under the GIS Spatial and Non Spatial Information.

28. Provide the report on how deregistration of beneficiaries was done when the beneficiary could not be found or died before the allocation of the house.

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The names of affected beneficiaries were advertised in National Newspapers and Municipal Notice Boards.

The beneficiaries were called to a meeting and those that confirmed their willingness to keep the houses or stands were allowed to do so.

Those who did not come forward were removed through Court processes.

A directive was issued by the Court to serve a Rule Nisi in all the last known addresses and the Court confirmed the final approval to deregister the untraceable beneficiaries.

The list of the beneficiaries approved for deregistration was submitted to the Office of the Registrar of Deeds, for cancellation and de-registration.

29. A detailed role of the Mpumalanga Housing Finance Company is required.

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The Mpumalanga Housing Finance Company (MHFCo) was expected to secure funding for integrated human settlements but unfortunately the institution was not able to.

MHFCo was mandated to finance houses in the areas previously red lined by banks.

30. Provide a written response on how much was spend in addressing disaster affected areas.

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In the financial year 2011/2012 the department is responding to various emergency situations as follows:

 Number of units to be reconstructed: 403Budget allocated: R 10 835 732.00Number of units completed : 184Number of units in progress: 35Expenditure: R 13 869 302.47

In January 2012, another disaster struck the Ehlanzeni District in affecting all 5 Local Municipalities damaging infrastructure and homes to the extent 284.

The Department is responding to the 284 units with a budget of R 18.4 million.  

A further 30 units were completed with R 4 502 884.00. 

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THANK YOU