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The Independent Democrats (ID) Parliamentary Leader Joe Mcgluwa says the department of Human Settlements must take full responsibility for the housing backlog in South Africa.

This follows media reports on Friday in which human settlements minister Tokyo Sexwale argued that the housing backlog would remain irrespective of whether or not provinces utilised their allocated funding from the National Treasury.

‘Should this be the case, we might as well remove the term “eradication” from government’s dialogue to the public. Every South African has the right to adequate housing as stated in Chapter two, Section 26 of the Constitution of South Africa,’ states Mr Mcgluwa.

‘It is the department’s main objective to eradicate the housing backlog experienced in the country. Clearly, government did not do enough to achieve this progressive realisation over the past 17 years.’

No quick-fix will solve the housing backlog in the country. The Minister’s call to the private sector should be welcomed; however, it will only solve a part of the problem.

‘Other factors contributing to the housing backlog such as corruption, cadre deployment, under-spending, out-dated census statistics and the shortage of skilled personnel needs to be prioritised by the department.

‘Only when the minister is committed to addressing these issues will we be able to eradicate the much debated housing backlog,’ Mcgluwa says.