Hon Speaker, the Minister and I have discussed this question and I thank the member for asking it. The essence of the question asked by the hon Dambuza is the empowerment of people to construct their own houses. When people construct their own houses, as in the case of the People's Housing Process, PHP, they help with the reduction of undesirable dependence upon state resources. It is Vukuzenzele; it is Letsema.
To be more specific, the authority for the enactment of legislation, the introduction of policies, and the establishment of co-operatives vests with the Minister of Trade and Industry. My department, therefore, works within the policy and legislative framework put in place by the Department of Trade and Industry. Through this department the Co-operatives Act of 2005 was enacted, supported by the policy.
However, in view of the fact that housing co-operatives may apply for developmental capital and capacity-building assistance in terms of national housing programmes for social housing and institutional housing subsidies, the Department of Human Settlements has developed guidelines for housing co- operatives. These guidelines will assist housing co-operatives to apply for accreditation with the Social Housing Regulatory Authority, SHRA, and applied development capital available through the national housing programme. Once the said guidelines are approved, they will be forwarded to SHRA for finalisation and communication with the housing co-operatives.
The SHRA will also be requested to develop a specific strategy to generate momentum towards delivery of housing co-operative opportunities. The SHRA regulations presently being drafted will take into account measures to promote and support the co-operatives within the human settlement sector. The housing co-operatives and PHP are the future for human settlements beyond the cut-off date. These programmes will be relevant. They are about broadening the housing and building markets. I thank you, Speaker.
Thank you very much, hon Deputy Minister. Given the fact that the Social Housing Regulatory Authority, SHRA, does not fully accommodate housing co-operatives, we have been in discussion with the department on this, and the department has agreed that they are really not fully accommodated. This is because their objectives and principles are not the same. The SHRA accommodates rental, which has to do with profit, and co- operatives have to do with ownership.
Given the fact that we have had discussions, I want to put this question to the Deputy Minister. Has the department recognised a dire need, or does the department agree with the House that there is a dire need, to develop a dedicated policy and legislation for the housing co-operatives? I ask that because even the response that the DTI is responsible for that is not convincing - the DTI is responsible for registration. We believe that the management and administration are supposed to be managed by the Department of Human Settlements. We can refer to the resolutions of the ANC conference of 2002, that the Department of Human Settlements was given a mandate to ensure that there was this policy. I thank you. [Time expired.]
Chairperson, I understand what the chairperson is asking around the issue of co-operatives and I understand the fact that the SHRA is not fully accommodative to the co- operatives at the moment. Let's agree that when we do the guidelines, they must be specific so that they are able to cover this element.
However, at the same time, the directorate in the department that deals with the issue of the PHP must fully work out the nitty-gritty and practicalities of helping co-operattives, particularly those that fall outside the framework of the SHRA, so that no co-operative is left without support. This is because the housing programmes are designed to help ordinary people. So, if the current policy is not able to cover that, we will look at the guidelines and be able to assist. Fortunately, this process is not complete. As I have said, the guidelines are in the process of being drafted. So, we will be able to get in touch with the portfolio committee, because they are the people who understand and are to ensure that at the end of the day the co-operatives are practical and we have a user-friendly approach. So, allow us to go back and revisit the issue, member. Thank you.
House Chairperson, I think I am covered by the answer that was given by the Deputy Minister. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Chair. Hon Deputy Minister, do you know whether or not there are sufficient, well-informed support institutions for the effective development and management of housing co-operatives; if not, why not, and what are the relevant details around that? Will the Minister apply the necessary pressure to ensure that these support institutions are put in place? Thank you.
We do have support institutions. As I have said, there is a directorate for the PHP in the department. There is a chief directorate that deals with the issue of the PHP, and that includes co-operatives. That is why we have South African Women in Construction as part of the co-operatives.
That is the entry level, and we need to ensure that they graduate through the different levels. Once they graduate to a superior level, which is Level D, that is a level where they are part of the DTI. This means we are monitoring from the basic level. Within the Department of Human Settlements they are on Level 1. Once they get to Level 4 of the DTI it means they are fully-fledged and can operate on their own. However, when they are on Level 1, they are still with the Department of Human Settlements, getting support from us. Thank you.
Ngiyabonga kakhulu ngezimpendulo eziphendulwe nguSekela Ngqongqoshe, kodwa ngiyacabanga ukuthi,futhi uma ngibheka uNgqongqoshe ufuna ukucasha ngesithupha uma ezokhuluma ngezindaba zezohwebo nezimboni.
Thina umbuzo esinawo futhi esibheke kuwo ukuthi phansi abantu impilo yabo incike kulezi zinkampani esisebenza ngokubambisana. Ngicabanga ukuthi uMnyango Wezezindlu yiwona Mnyango oqondileyo okufanele ukuthi wakhe lezi zinkampani ezisebenza ngokubambisana. Okwesibili, uma ekhuluma nge-SHRA nangokuthuthukiswa kwemihlahlandlela, umbuzo enginayo ukuthi izohanjiswa nini futhi izophela nini lemihlahlandlela. Nizokwenza kanjani ukuthi niyilethe masishane eMnyangweni Wezindawo Zokuhlaliswa Kwabantu ukuze sikwazi ukuzibheka ukuthi zinceda kanjani abantu ngoba kufanele kusizakale abantu lapha. Ngiyathokoza. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Mr K P SITHOLE: Thank you for the responses given, Deputy Minister, but I think that the Minister wants to hide behind a finger if she would talk trade and industry matters.
The question we have and are focusing on is that people's lives on the ground are dependent on the co-operatives. I think that the Department of Human Settlements is the appropriate department for establishing these co- operatives. Secondly, if she talks about the SHRA and the development of guidelines, the question I have is: When will these guidelines be delivered and when will they be completed? How quick will you be able to bring them to the Department of Human Settlements in order for us to see if they are in a position to assist the people since it is the people who must be assisted here? Thank you.]
I just want to explain to the House that I am not telling stories when I speak about our assistance with regard to the issue of co-operatives, and how women in particular are involved, because co-operatives support women in construction. That is why people are asking about co-operatives.
In Kimberley, in August, I handed over a number of certificates to people who have graduated from Level 1 to Level 4, which means that they are already at the level of being assisted. When we say that they must go to the Department of Trade and Industry, it doesn't mean that we dump them there. We don't do that. We, in Human Settlements, work with the Department of Public Works, because Level 4 is given to them by the Department of Public Works. This is an integrated approach and every department is assisting.
So, when we talk about assisting the different entities, it means that we are satisfied that people are graduating. We can say that people must go and build houses but, if they are not in a position to build proper houses, those houses are going to fall down. So, we have to make sure that when they graduate, we give them a certificate and are satisfied that their company can stand on its own. I thank you. [Applause.]
Steps taken to direct patients to clinics as a primary health care facility
216. Ms B T Ngcobo (ANC) asked the Minister of Health:
What innovative steps are being taken to direct patients to clinics as a primary health care facility to relieve the burden on public hospitals caused by long queues, a burden on the hospital's resources and unnecessary expense to patients?