Date: 26/09/2003
Source: Ministry of Housing
Title: Mabandla: Housing delivery celebrations in North West
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HOUSING MINISTER, MRS BRIGITTE MABANDLA, AT THE CELEBRATIONS OF HOUSING DELIVERY IN NORTH WEST PROVINCE, 26 September 2003
Programme Director
MEC Afrika
Mayor of Bophirima District
Mayor of Taung
Kgosi Mothibi
Ladies and gentlemen
The advent of democracy presented a number of daunting challenges to the new government. Among these was a constitutional mandate of providing adequate shelter to the poor citizens of our country. Our government, through the support from you, citizens, rose to this challenge. We therefore made sure that we acquaint ourselves fully of the undertakings we made to our electorate to provide one million houses during the first term in office. The number has since risen to 1,5 million units this year and it continues to grow, this time with more quality aspects being added to our housing products.
Our housing delivery programme has managed to change the lives of more than 7,3 million people who previously did not have adequate shelter. In addition, more than 400 000 families have been given the old municipal houses that they have been renting for ownership. In monetary terms, this government has invested R23,4 billion in new housing to the poor. It is therefore for this reason that our housing success story remains unprecedented in the history of housing delivery throughout the world.
The success of our housing delivery programme is attributed to the partnerships we have built with government structures and the private sector. Provincial departments, local and tribal authorities as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have all contributed to this achievement. The North West Province equally rose to the challenge to ensure that we meet our national target for housing delivery.
The success of the province's concerted effort to contribute to the national government's strides to eradicate the housing backlog is the main reason we are gathered here today. We have spent about R2,8 billion to deliver 131 000 houses to the poor people of this province. I am proud to say 57 200 or 44,1% of these houses went to female-headed households. In total, 645 000 people have benefited from our housing programme in the North West Province alone. The total number of subsidies approved to date is 148 000, which means an extra 16 431 families or 80 500 will soon get their own houses. This, to me, is an indication that our policy is working and it is for everyone.
I therefore want to thank MEC Darkie Afrika and the people of the North West Province for joining hands to acknowledge this achievement. I am also impressed that this celebration takes place in Taung, one of the places previously neglected by the apartheid government. Our visit here will always remind us of the task we still face in our strides to reduce the levels of poverty in our society. But, most importantly, it reminds us of the importance of maintaining the healthy relations we have forged with communities.
For this reason, I want to thank Kgosi Mothibi and other traditional leaders who are present here for backing our housing programme. I must say that I am particularly impressed with the manner in which our traditional leaders have embraced our development programmes in this province. I would like the MEC to pass my sense of gratitude to all of them such as Bo-kgosi Letlhogile, Mabalane and Maubane who have always been willing to release land for housing development.
Apart from helping the poor get decent shelter, your efforts have helped them access secure tenure, electricity, running water and sanitation, which form part of our housing package. In other words, the lives of the people who have already acquired these houses are far much better than the way they were more than nine years ago, because of you.
Today, 871 families or almost 4 300 people will get new houses of their own. These people will form part of almost 30 000 people who are earmarked for housing in this area alone.
Our records show that, like in many parts of our country, there are more women than men in this province. I am even told in Taung alone, women constitute almost 54% of the population. With so many women in the province, we must begin to see more and more female contractors and developers coming out of these communities. The time has come for women to benefit from our programme not only as mere recipients of houses, but also as service providers and entrepreneurs.
In addition, I am told that 93,3% of the population of this province, of whom almost 60% are in the rural areas, qualify for our housing subsidy assistance as they earn no more than R3 500. Of these, I am also told, 69,3% has no formal income at all. I therefore think we should continue to cooperate with all the relevant institutions to try and reduce the backlog.
The government is committed to ensuring that people get decent houses that are bigger and better. Earlier this year, I announced an increase in housing subsidy that will benefit the poorest of the poor. As a result, the people earning no more than R1500 currently get R23 100 while the indigent, the aged, the disabled and the health-stricken get R25 580. We also have a special variation for the disabled to cater for their special needs such as accessibility measures. As part of fully involving our beneficiaries in their housing developments, we have introduced measures to promote constructive beneficiary participation. These include the contribution of the R2 479 for those who can afford or sweat equity for those who may not have money. Of importance is that this amount gives the new owners a warranty over their houses and is therefore part of our efforts to improve quality of our houses.
In conclusion, allow me to share with you some of the observations I have made as I moved around the country, visiting some of our projects. Some of the projects have improved drastically since the houses were handed over to their owners. They have been extended, trees and other vegetation have been added and in some instances, even food gardens. In some areas, though, nothing has changed.
It is very important - for those who have benefited and those who are still to benefit - to take the issue of improving their living environment seriously. All of you can do something to effectively utilise the space in your backyards, irrespective of size. In so doing, you will be participating in the creation of vibrant and viable communities with healthy environment.
My department, together with Nurcha and Trees for Homes, has designed a programme though which to assist you in this regard. We will be going throughout the country, including your province, planting fruit and indigenous trees and help create better living environments. I however appeal to all of you not to wait for this programme, at it will not reach all of you at the same time. Stand up and do something to add value to your homes.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Housing
26 September 2003
Source: Ministry of Housing
Title: Mabandla: Housing delivery celebrations in North West
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HOUSING MINISTER, MRS BRIGITTE MABANDLA, AT THE CELEBRATIONS OF HOUSING DELIVERY IN NORTH WEST PROVINCE, 26 September 2003
Programme Director
MEC Afrika
Mayor of Bophirima District
Mayor of Taung
Kgosi Mothibi
Ladies and gentlemen
The advent of democracy presented a number of daunting challenges to the new government. Among these was a constitutional mandate of providing adequate shelter to the poor citizens of our country. Our government, through the support from you, citizens, rose to this challenge. We therefore made sure that we acquaint ourselves fully of the undertakings we made to our electorate to provide one million houses during the first term in office. The number has since risen to 1,5 million units this year and it continues to grow, this time with more quality aspects being added to our housing products.
Our housing delivery programme has managed to change the lives of more than 7,3 million people who previously did not have adequate shelter. In addition, more than 400 000 families have been given the old municipal houses that they have been renting for ownership. In monetary terms, this government has invested R23,4 billion in new housing to the poor. It is therefore for this reason that our housing success story remains unprecedented in the history of housing delivery throughout the world.
The success of our housing delivery programme is attributed to the partnerships we have built with government structures and the private sector. Provincial departments, local and tribal authorities as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have all contributed to this achievement. The North West Province equally rose to the challenge to ensure that we meet our national target for housing delivery.
The success of the province's concerted effort to contribute to the national government's strides to eradicate the housing backlog is the main reason we are gathered here today. We have spent about R2,8 billion to deliver 131 000 houses to the poor people of this province. I am proud to say 57 200 or 44,1% of these houses went to female-headed households. In total, 645 000 people have benefited from our housing programme in the North West Province alone. The total number of subsidies approved to date is 148 000, which means an extra 16 431 families or 80 500 will soon get their own houses. This, to me, is an indication that our policy is working and it is for everyone.
I therefore want to thank MEC Darkie Afrika and the people of the North West Province for joining hands to acknowledge this achievement. I am also impressed that this celebration takes place in Taung, one of the places previously neglected by the apartheid government. Our visit here will always remind us of the task we still face in our strides to reduce the levels of poverty in our society. But, most importantly, it reminds us of the importance of maintaining the healthy relations we have forged with communities.
For this reason, I want to thank Kgosi Mothibi and other traditional leaders who are present here for backing our housing programme. I must say that I am particularly impressed with the manner in which our traditional leaders have embraced our development programmes in this province. I would like the MEC to pass my sense of gratitude to all of them such as Bo-kgosi Letlhogile, Mabalane and Maubane who have always been willing to release land for housing development.
Apart from helping the poor get decent shelter, your efforts have helped them access secure tenure, electricity, running water and sanitation, which form part of our housing package. In other words, the lives of the people who have already acquired these houses are far much better than the way they were more than nine years ago, because of you.
Today, 871 families or almost 4 300 people will get new houses of their own. These people will form part of almost 30 000 people who are earmarked for housing in this area alone.
Our records show that, like in many parts of our country, there are more women than men in this province. I am even told in Taung alone, women constitute almost 54% of the population. With so many women in the province, we must begin to see more and more female contractors and developers coming out of these communities. The time has come for women to benefit from our programme not only as mere recipients of houses, but also as service providers and entrepreneurs.
In addition, I am told that 93,3% of the population of this province, of whom almost 60% are in the rural areas, qualify for our housing subsidy assistance as they earn no more than R3 500. Of these, I am also told, 69,3% has no formal income at all. I therefore think we should continue to cooperate with all the relevant institutions to try and reduce the backlog.
The government is committed to ensuring that people get decent houses that are bigger and better. Earlier this year, I announced an increase in housing subsidy that will benefit the poorest of the poor. As a result, the people earning no more than R1500 currently get R23 100 while the indigent, the aged, the disabled and the health-stricken get R25 580. We also have a special variation for the disabled to cater for their special needs such as accessibility measures. As part of fully involving our beneficiaries in their housing developments, we have introduced measures to promote constructive beneficiary participation. These include the contribution of the R2 479 for those who can afford or sweat equity for those who may not have money. Of importance is that this amount gives the new owners a warranty over their houses and is therefore part of our efforts to improve quality of our houses.
In conclusion, allow me to share with you some of the observations I have made as I moved around the country, visiting some of our projects. Some of the projects have improved drastically since the houses were handed over to their owners. They have been extended, trees and other vegetation have been added and in some instances, even food gardens. In some areas, though, nothing has changed.
It is very important - for those who have benefited and those who are still to benefit - to take the issue of improving their living environment seriously. All of you can do something to effectively utilise the space in your backyards, irrespective of size. In so doing, you will be participating in the creation of vibrant and viable communities with healthy environment.
My department, together with Nurcha and Trees for Homes, has designed a programme though which to assist you in this regard. We will be going throughout the country, including your province, planting fruit and indigenous trees and help create better living environments. I however appeal to all of you not to wait for this programme, at it will not reach all of you at the same time. Stand up and do something to add value to your homes.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Housing
26 September 2003
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
