On Friday, November 15, 2024, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements convened its quarterly Political Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Forum of the 7th administration. The meeting, attended by MMCs and senior officials from municipalities across the province, was chaired by MEC Tasneem Motara.
The forum, mandated by the Inter-Governmental Relations Act of 2005, aimed to facilitate engagement on required interventions and promote collaborations to enhance service delivery in the human settlements sector. Discussions centred on tracking progress on financial and non-financial performance of municipalities.
MEC Motara issued a stern warning to municipalities, emphasising the critical need for catch-up plans and their swift implementation. She cautioned that failure to do so could result in funds being returned to the National Department of Human Settlements, a scenario that must be avoided given the significant housing backlogs facing the province.
The current housing backlog in Gauteng stands at approximately 1.2 million applicants. This backlog has been exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and population growth in the province. This backlog underscores the urgency of the MEC’s call for improved spending and catch-up plans at municipal level.
The Political IGR Forum serves as a critical platform for addressing these challenges. By promoting efficient working measures and controls at both political and governmental levels, the forum aims to strengthen the financial interdependencies and accountability between the Department and Municipalities.
MEC Motara emphasised, “The development of sustainable human settlements requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders. We must work together to overcome the challenges we face and ensure that every citizen of Gauteng with a need for assistance has access to adequate housing.”
The Department is focusing on several key areas to address housing challenges and improve service delivery in Gauteng. These include the implementation of a Hostels Redevelopment Strategy to transform hostels into dignified family units, a Central Business District Revitalisation program to increase affordable housing in urban centres, and an emphasis on upgrading informal settlements with basic services and socio-economic amenities.
The Department is also prioritising the acceleration of title deeds issuance, improving beneficiary administration through data cleansing of the Housing Needs Register and introducing body corporates in mega projects to address maintenance and ownership issues. Additionally, there’s a strong focus on delivering integrated mega human settlements projects, with plans to blacklist underperforming contractors and explore innovative ways to stimulate local economic development through these projects.
