Latest news with #MECforHumanSettlements
Zawya
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Committee on Human Settlements Successfully Started Its Two-Day Oversight Visit in Garden Route District Municipality
The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements kick -started its two-day oversight visit to the municipalities in the Garden Route District Municipality in Knysna yesterday where it received briefings on the implementation of the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG), Informal Settlements and Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUPG). The committee expressed its displeasure with the absence of the MEC for Human Settlements and the Head of the department who failed to communicate their apologies in advance. The committee also received briefings from the Western Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements, Knysna Local Municipality, George Local Municipality, and Mossel Bay Local Municipality on the implementation of the human settlements' strategic plans, projects and programmes. The committee expressed its disappointment to learn that a total budget of about R300 million, which was allocated to the municipalities during the 2024/25 financial year, had to be given to other provinces due to poor performance of the municipalities and R100 million of that amount was initially budgeted for HSDG. The Deputy Director-General of the National Department of Human Settlements, Dr Nana Mhlongo told the committee that the allocation of the budget to other provinces was due to the department's due diligence in terms of monitoring performance within the province. The HSDG is a key funding mechanism for human settlements development, while ISUPG focuses on upgrading of informal settlements. These programmes are being implemented by the Garden Route District Municipality, and they include the development of new housing units, infrastructure upgrades, and the formalisation of informal settlements. Also, part of these programmes is the Integrated Human Settlements Strategic Plan that has been developed by the Garden Route District Municipality which incorporates George, Mossel Bay, and Knysna local municipalities. This plan aims to guide the coordinated development of human settlements, and to ensure alignment with national, provincial strategic goals and performance plans. Outlining the purpose of the visit, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Mr Mammoga Seabi, highlighted the committee's role regarding oversight over any executive organ of state that falls within its portfolio. He said: 'This is in line with the mandate of the committee to undertake provincial oversight visits to evaluate progress made in the service delivery and to identify challenges.' The Chairperson said the committee undertook this oversight due to the need for the improvement of institutional capacity at the local municipal level and the lack of strong instruments for implementation in the district municipality. 'These issues hinder service delivery, economic development, and overall community well-being,' he said. The committee heard that the Garden Route District Municipality faces challenges that include limited funding and implementation of non-human settlements related mandate in informal settlements upgrading, bulk infrastructure capacity constraints prevalence in most municipalities, municipal capacity challenges, lengthy statutory approval processes, lack of clear and coherent understanding, and response from stakeholders involved in upgrading process. The committee conducted site visits to the Knysna Bungalos, temporal relocation site and the houses built for the Knysna Bungalo beneficiaries. The committee was unhappy with the appalling state of the temporary structures and requested the municipality, provincial and national departments of human settlements to review the project and provide a report to the committee in 30 days. The committee will today conduct site visit in Mossel Bay as follows: Site visits in Mossel Bay from 09:00 to 13:00 to Sinethemba Project, Breaking New Ground Project (New Rest), Mountain View First Home Finance Project, and Izinyoka Informal Settlements. Site visits in George from 14:00 to 16:00 to projects: Moeggehuur Informal Settlements (Houtkapperjie), Syferfornein Project (ERF 325), Rosedale Informal Settlements, Metro Grounds and George Collapsed Building. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Tasneem Motara appointed acting premier of Gauteng province
Motara will assume all the duties, authority and obligations of the office. MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara is not the acting Premier of Gauteng. Picture: X/@Powerfm987 Gauteng has a new premier, albeit for a short while. Premier Panyaza Lesufi has appointed MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, as acting premier of the Gauteng Province from Monday, 9 June to Sunday, 15 June 2025. Motara was appointed in terms of Section 131(1)(a) and Section 13 of the constitution. China trip Lesufi's spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla, said the premier is undertaking a working trip to China to finalise a 'landmark agreement with the province of Hunan.' Pamla said this is in line with the commitment he made during his 2025 State of the Province Address (Sopa). ALSO READ: Lesufi links vehicles to crime as Gauteng launches new number plate system 'This historic deal will unlock new trade opportunities for provincial SMMEs, granting them access to Hunan's vast market of over 66 million people across 13 cities, with minimal restrictions.' Unemployment Pamla said the Gauteng-Hunan trade deal aligns with the Gauteng Provincial Government's (GPG) strategy to tackle unemployment, one of the key challenges identified in the G13 (Gauteng 13 priorities). 'This initiative also supports South Africa's broader National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, which emphasises Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) as a critical driver of economic growth and job creation. 'The acting premier will assume all the duties, authority, and obligations of the office to ensure the smooth running of the provincial government,' Pamla said. Sopa In February, during his Sopa, Lesufi detailed how the provincial government is addressing 13 major challenges affecting the province. Lesufi emphasised that the provincial government would align with the five-year Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), prioritising inclusive growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and building an ethical, capable state, as outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Lesufi acknowledged that Gauteng faces 13 pressing issues, including water shortages, cable theft, non-functional traffic lights, potholes, crime, the rapid expansion of informal settlements, electricity challenges (load shedding and load reduction), gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), drug abuse, inadequate healthcare services, a shortage of schools, failing infrastructure, deteriorating central business districts (CBDs), and unemployment. NOW READ: Panyaza Lesufi accused of covering up alleged corruption involving hundreds of millions
