The Department of Human Settlements and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs met in Johannesburg today to discuss accreditation and assignment of the housing delivery function to municipalities.

The meeting was co-chaired by Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and Co-operative Governance Minister Richard Baloyi. It was also attended by all provincial MECs responsible for human settlements and local government in the country and Members of the Mayoral Committees responsible for housing from all metropolitan municipalities.

“The two Departments will work very closely with President Jacob Zuma to make sure he achieves success and mission and that success is measured by where people live. We see our relationship with Cogta as very critical to what the country should be,” said Sexwale.

This is the second joint-MINMEC between the two Departments and is born out of the 2010 Cabinet Lekgotla, which resolved that the two should be responsible for Outcomes Eight and Nine. The first was in September 2010.

The meeting agreed on a time-frame that will see certain municipalities receiving accreditation before the 2014 deadline as stipulated in the Service Delivery Agreement the two Ministers signed with President Zuma. The process will result in billions of rands flowing to municipalities.

Outcome Eight has four outputs:

• accelerated delivery of housing opportunities
  • upgrading of 400 000 households in informal settlements
  • affordable rental housing stock 20 000 units per annum
• access to basic services
• National Bulk Infrastructure programme and increased access to basic services
• acquisition of 6250 hectares (net) state owned land
• more efficient land utilisation
• improved property market
• supply affordable housing finance to 600 000 households

Outcome Nine has four outputs:

·         implement a differentiated approach to municipal financing, planning and support

• improving access to basic services
• actions supportive of the human settlement outcome
  • increased densities in metros and large towns
  • facilitation of land acquisition for low affordable housing
• single window of coordination
• local government policy and legislation reviewed and amended

Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi told the meeting that the two Departments had no choice but to make sure their work was properly aligned to enable them to deliver services to South Africans.

“The image of municipalities and traditional areas is defined, to a certain extent, by whether we are able to deliver on human settlements,” said Baloyi.

The meeting also noted the Public Protector’s initiative of conducting hearings around the country on housing delivery and resolved to support and engage with the process.