Latest news with #HumanSettlements
The Citizen
5 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Polokwane woman finally receives title deed after six-year wait
POLOKWANE – Kgaugelo Malebana (62), a retired temporary worker, finally received the title deed to her RDP house in Extension 133, Polokwane, six years after it was first awarded to her. The title deed was handed over by the Minister of Human Settlements and former Polokwane mayor, Thembi Simelane, during a ceremony that formed part of her department's national Title Deeds Friday Campaign. Malebana expressed mixed emotions about the milestone, raising concerns over basic service delivery in her area. She told the minister that while she appreciated finally owning her home, a lack of water and electricity in her yard and surrounding homes makes it difficult to celebrate fully. 'Electricity and municipal rates are very expensive. I am retired and not working. If these services remain unaffordable or unavailable, I may be forced to sell,' she said frankly. The handover formed part of a two-day oversight visit by the Minister and her deputy, Tandi Mahambehlala, to assess Limpopo's progress in delivering sustainable human settlements and achieving national 2025/26 targets. Simelane was joined by Human Settlements MECs from other provinces and local executive mayors. The campaign specifically focused on handing over title deeds to senior citizens between 60 and 70 years old in honour of Women's Month. Simelane urged beneficiaries not to sell their properties, warning that this has been a common issue with RDP housing programmes. 'These homes are assets that must be protected and passed on to future generations,' she said.
Daily Maverick
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Deputy President Paul Mashatile caught between luxury property, a shiny diamond and a hard place
The ANC's National Executive Committee broke for an hour on Sunday to deliberate on allegations of impropriety swirling around Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane. The ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) deliberated on the fate of two of its most senior members, Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, over the weekend and is expected to provide an update on the Integrity Commission's reports on their conduct soon. Opening a shopping centre in Durban days before the NEC conference, Mashatile continued to boldly deny that there was anything irregular about two luxury properties – worth R63-million – that he had declared in Parliament's Register of Members' Interests. Speaking at the official opening of the Inkosi Simingaye Shopping Centre at KwaXimba near Cato Ridge in Durban on 31 July, he responded to a question about the properties by saying 'people must read'. 'There is nothing in Parliament that I said that I own a house. I said I live there,' he insisted. On Sunday, the NEC broke for an hour, asking Mashatile and Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane to excuse themselves while the Integrity Commission presented cases on allegations of corruption. Outing himself Mashatile was outed by News24 after the public release of Parliament's Register of Members' Interests in late July. Mashatile had declared ownership of the two properties – a multi-bedroom mansion in Constantia, Cape Town, worth R28-million, and another in Waterfall, Midrand, worth R37-million. News24 has had eyes on Mashatile's luxury lifestyle for ages and in 2024 first reported that a company, belonging to Mashatile's son-in-law, Nceba Nonkwelo, had bought the Constantia house in 2023. Mashatile lives in the house when he is in Cape Town. Nonkwelo is married to Mashatile's daughter, Palesa. Whether or not the declaration in the register was a Freudian slip, this annual ritual of holding public representatives to account has uncovered a tidy stash belonging to the deputy president. Diamonds are not forever Over and above his eye for property bling, Mashatile has admitted to receiving a diamond from grifter Louis Liebenberg, currently behind bars, awaiting trial on various criminal charges. Liebenberg had boasted that he had given the deputy president a diamond as a gift. In the meantime Mashatile has paid a R10,000 fine imposed by the Joint Committee on Members' Ethics for failing to declare the gift. Mashatile had stated that he wanted to have the diamond 'weighed' to check its value before declaring it. And besides, it had been a gift for his wife, Humile. This response – doing the deed out in the open – was not appreciated by the committee. Liebenberg also gifted former president Jacob Zuma about R1-million to sue News24 journalist Karyn Maughan and prosecutor Billy Downer. Simelane and the ghost of VBS Daily Maverick and News24 first sniffed out that former Minister of Justice, now Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane had taken out a R575,600 loan she obtained from VBS corruption-accused fixer Ralliom Razwinane in 2016. Simelane later told the portfolio committee for justice and constitutional development that she had had no improper relationship with Razwinane or his company, Gundo Wealth Solutions. Gundo had been appointed by the Polokwane Municipality to provide investment brokerage services for three years in March and April 2016. Between 16 September 2016 and 5 May 2017, Polokwane invested R349-million in five transactions with VBS and withdrew its money between 16 March and 3 July 2017, earning R12.7-million in interest. As Kyle Cowan and Pauli van Wyk wrote in October 2024: 'Since the publication of the existence of the loan by Daily Maverick and News24, Simelane has steadfastly maintained there was no conflict of interest then – between Gundo being a service provider to Polokwane while she was mayor and getting a loan from them – or now – with her oversight of the National Prosecuting Authority that is pursuing cases against dozens of VBS fraud- and corruption-accused persons and companies.' Simelane was shifted to Human Settlements when the heat reached the kitchen. She will know her new fate soon. DM
The Star
01-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
US tariff cut signals global trust in Malaysia, says Nga
PETALING JAYA: The United States' decision to reduce tariffs on Malaysian exports to 19% reflects international confidence in Putrajaya's economic governance and diplomatic efforts, says Nga Kor Ming (pic). The Housing and Local Government Minister described the revised tariff rate as a testament to Malaysia's credibility as a reliable economic partner and its effective diplomatic engagement. 'We are grateful for this positive development. It sends a strong signal of trust in Malaysia's economic governance, policy reforms and commitment to fair and rules-based trade. 'The 19% rate achieved without compromising our national sovereignty underscores Malaysia's maturity in international negotiations,' he said in a statement yesterday. Nga, who is president of the UN-Habitat Assembly – which sets policy direction on Sustainable Urban Development and Human Settlements, credited the sustained bilateral negotiations led by the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry under the guidance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said progressive trade developments would have a positive impact across sectors, particularly construction and manufacturing. Nga said Malaysia's export of furniture, lighting signs and prefabricated building materials to the United States was valued at US$1.55bil (about RM7bil) in 2024. 'Lower tariffs can enable greater access to quality construction material and technologies at competitive prices, supporting our goal to build smarter, greener and more liveable homes and cities,' he said. Nga also welcomed the planned visit of US President Donald Trump to Kuala Lumpur in October for the 47th Asean Summit, as announced by Anwar on Thursday.
The Citizen
31-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Ward 64 shack dwellers live among the dead
ANCESTRAL burial sites are traditionally regarded as sacred ground, yet more than 400 people have erected informal homes within Seaview Cemetery in Ward 64, some built directly on top of graves. Also read: Southlands Sun 1 August 2025 The settlement, which has expanded over the past few years, reflects the growing housing crisis and rising unemployment. Despite government efforts to halt the spread of informal settlements, shack dwellers said they are willing to relocate, provided they are moved to nearby land within walking distance of job opportunities in Clairwood. Mzosindiso Mtheli, a resident originally from the Eastern Cape, shared his experience of settling in the Seaview Cemetery. 'When I first moved here, my grandmother was already living in this area. I came to Durban looking for work but couldn't afford to rent a place. Since others had already built shacks in the cemetery, I had no choice but to do the same,' said Mtheli. While he acknowledges that burial sites are traditionally respected, he believes the lack of available land is a major contributing factor. 'There are still families who come here occasionally to pay their respects to loved ones. We understand that burial grounds are sacred, but we had no alternative. This was the only space close enough to our places of employment,' he added. Another resident, Mzwabantu Sokapase, originally from the Eastern Cape, admitted to building his shack directly over a grave. He built his house on top of a grave. Although the tombstone has been removed, he said he has never experienced any supernatural occurrences. Also read: Human Settlements speeds up profiling of Seaview Cemetery families 'Sometimes I wonder what will happen when the relatives of the deceased come here to pay their respects. It would be very difficult for me to demolish my house to allow them to perform their ancestral rituals,' he said. Sokapase said, 'The Human Settlements Department should provide us with housing that is not far from Clairwood, because many of us work in the nearby industrial areas.' A third resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said she has been renting a shack in the cemetery for the past three months. 'The owner doesn't live here. I pay R500 a month because I work in the industrial area nearby,' she said. Graves dating as far back as the 1940s have reportedly been dismantled to make way for the informal homes. In some instances, graves are located inside shacks, and tombstones have been repurposed as supports for makeshift tables. Adding to the dangers in the area, live illegal electricity connections crisscross above the shacks. Also read: Families, children displaced as fire ravages shacks near The Bluff These makeshift power lines are tapped from Telkom poles running along the nearby train station. Despite the presence of exposed wires, residents say no electrocution incidents have been reported. Children as young as five can be seen playing among the shacks, raising further concern about safety and living conditions in the cemetery. Area committee member Mbongiseni Mazibuko said the eThekwini Municipality has provided mobile toilets to the informal settlement in an effort to prevent sewage spills and other health risks caused by unhygienic conditions. 'It is our hope that the government will intervene and assist these people, as they have settled on a burial site. It's unfortunate that they have not been able to secure proper housing. However, their presence here affects the beliefs and practises of families who come to pay respects to their departed loved ones,' he said. According to eThekwini Municipality by-laws, any form of construction or occupation within cemetery grounds is prohibited. MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma has assigned the head of the department, Max Mbili, working with eThekwini Municipality, to speed up the profiling of these families. For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
IOL News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
How do foreign nationals acquire RDP houses? Minister Simelane says recipients sell the homes
Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane Image: Ministry of Human Settlements Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, has addressed the hot topic of foreign nationals living in RDP houses, which in law are meant for economically disadvantaged South African nationals. In South Africa, an RDP house refers to a dwelling built and provided by the government to low-income families as part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). The government describes the RDP housing programme as a socio-economic policy that was first proposed and passed in 1994 under the new leadership of then president Nelson Mandela. It was aimed at providing government-subsidised housing that transformed communities in need and provided upliftment out of homelessness and poverty. Provision of decent houses to all South Africans has been one of the main objectives of the ANC government since it rose to power, replacing the apartheid government in 1994. Millions of houses and services stands have been provided, but the queue of citizens awaiting allocation is increasing rapidly, leading to tempers flaring. On Wednesday, Simelane told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that there is an upheaval of complaints from community members about RDP houses occupied by foreign nationals. The minister clarified that an RDP house can be sold, but only to a deserving South African national. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'What does our policy say? Our policy says yes, after 10 years of occupation you can sell the house, but you need to sell it to a South African who is part of the policy cover,' said Simelane. She said being South African does not mean any citizen can also buy an RDP house. 'When we go into every imbizo, in every township, we have people complaining, saying we hear you minister, you say we do not qualify, but how come unregistered and undocumented foreigners are staying in these new houses, not even old but new (RDP) houses. But you say we do not qualify and we are unemployed,' said Simelane. 'It looks unfair, yes, and it needs to be dealt with.' She alluded that the government is working on a White Paper on housing, which reviews the entire housing policy. Simelane said the provision of free houses in South Africa has proven to be unsustainable. 'It touches on ownership as well. In which country would you allow a person to sell a house that he or she has not built? That then means you have means to accommodate yourself. Give it to somebody who cannot have means, possibly,' she said. RDP houses in Kuyasa in Khayelitsha fitted with solar heating panels. Image: Henk Kruger/IndependentNewspapers The minister explained that recipients are permitted to make renovations to extend the small RDP houses if their finances allow. For the houses sold to foreign nationals, or South Africans who do not qualify to be in the RDP houses, Simelane said that on the government system, the premises would remain indicating the original recipient of the house. The new owners from the illegal transaction do not change the ownership of the house. IOL News
