No, I am not. There has been surprisingly little innovation in the field of housing within the Department of Human Settlement. Disadvantaged communities in poverty and unemployment are trapped and they are robbed of secure livelihood.
Minister, there is no time for you to dream like the President. It's time to have a new approach. Time to have a plan. Time to put South African first. And minister, that time is NOW!
Hon Chairperson, the EFF rejects Budget Vote
38 on human settlement. South Africa is facing a huge housing crisis and it will soon blow up in our faces and bring this country into a stand still.
Statistics South Africa reports that by 2018 South Africa had backlog of 2,2 million housing units and the government has only built over three million houses since 1994. This means that it may take us another twenty years just to build two million more houses. This means that at the current pace, there are people who may die without ever having had a proper house in this country.
While this crisis is happening, the ANC is busy destroying houses of black people. Just a few weeks after election results were announced, ANC-led municipalities across the country
started, on a massive onslaught against our people whose only sin was simply to build house for themselves.
In the Buffalo city in the Eastern Cape, the ANC government destroyed millions of worthy houses of black people, who had out of their own sweat built themselves, close to East London airport.
In Ntabankulu, in the Eastern Cape the local municipality destroyed houses they claimed had been built illegally on municipality land. In Alexandre in Gauteng, Rock JHB Metropolis officials working with the provincial government destroyed people's houses under the pretext that they were built illegally.
The ANC has been using the laws to keep African people homeless in this country but what this points to Chairperson, is that there is no overarching vision, no plan, no political will to alleviate the housing crisis in this country. The Budget presented here willful insufficient to deal with the housing challenging facing our own people and fails to re- imagine the country's approach to the problem of housing backlog and urban's prowl and fails to acknowledge that this is a consequence of
having a few cities that can reasonably absorb a large number of labour.
The dispossession of African land in rural areas, the uneven development of cities, the poor employment prospects in rural areas has caused massive urban prowl that your policy makers have been unable to handle. As a consequence, we have thousands of people flocking in Gauteng, Cape Town, and Durban each and every ear because there is no hope of them finding work anywhere else in South Africa.
The housing crisis in this country therefore is at the same time as a labour crisis. It is about the pride of millions of black people who are unable find jobs closer to their homes. It is as a consequence of this that black people have been forcibly repossessing land in urban areas to build houses for themselves, because your government has been unable to do so for the past twenty-five years.
The dehumanizing reality of homelessness, the psychological injury of not having a place to call yours are both rooted in
history of land dispossessed and the brutal apartheid project of social engineering. The state is not out of options and can resolve the housing crisis if there is a political will to do so.
This can be done through the following:
Do away with apartheid special planning and expropriate land without compensation, closer to inner city centre to build sustainable housing for all. Establish a state housing company that will progressively build house for the poor, improve the quality and size of low cost houses through the state house construction company. So that the state regulates housing finance by providing housing finance that does not exceed the period of ten years. Guaranteed integrated human settlement with guaranteed bulk services such as water provision, electricity, sewerage systems, parks and recreation facilities. Convert unused state building into affordable houses for the poor, offering people long term secured leasehold to these buildings.
The state must once and for all clarify the powers of traditional leaders to allocate land for housing in rural areas. People's livelihoods are at risk because of the contestation between traditional leaders and municipalities about who has power to allocate land for housing. Failure to do this, will collapse our current cities because we cannot sustainably have any human settlement strategy that will accommodate the current growth of cities.
The failure of the post 1994 regime, to decentralize economic development and promote industrialization in areas other than those cities developed during colonialism and apartheid means that we will have more and more people moving into a few cities and towns looking for employment and not having any place to stay. The problem of human settlement is directly linked to our inability to decentralize development to area other than our current cities. Unless we do this, we will continue pumping money for short term, unsustainable solutions to the human settlement challenge. We reject this budget as EFF. Thanks Chairperson.
THE HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: Thanks hon member.
Hon Chairperson, the constitutionally enshrined right to housing in South Africa for all, especially our poor and most vulnerable, remains an elusive pipe dream and vain promise for millions of South Africans, who, 25 years into our democracy, still struggle with the realisation of having their own homes.
Informal settlements are burgeoning through rampant urban migration due to the lack of commercial opportunities, quality education and basic delivery in rural areas, yet the hon President, in his state of the nation address, only mentioned rural development three times. To me this was indicative of the lowest prioritisation.
As the IFP so succinctly stated in its state of the nation address response before this hon House, and I quote:
We must ensure that rural and not just urban communities are a priority too, as there has never been a successful urban
strategy without taking commensurate rural development into account.
Rural and urban communities are in essence two sides of the same coin and for us to have successful socioeconomic upliftment in South Africa, state resources must be balanced between these two sectors of our society, in order to achieve the greatest synergy possible. There are many examples of this in other countries, why are we not emulating these examples or at the very least drawing from their experiences?
Another critical issue is the dilapidated state of many of our hostels, which are underdeveloped and in a poor state of repair. A simple visit to any hostel in KwaMashu, Glebelands, Thokoza, Daveyton or Sebokeng, Vaal will show this to be the case. The people in these hostels live in subhuman conditions many of which could be comparable to the living conditions of our animals and livestock and in some instances even worse. This is a shame on this government!
Some RDP houses are being illegally occupied. The titleholders do not have occupation and in her budget speech last year, the Minister announced that the housing backlog stood at 2,1 million, with the department's budget slashed by billions. The hole is getting deeper and deeper and South Africans are not receiving what they have been promised.
Backyard dwellers are still in what they have aptly described as their cages! And Government still has no policy to address this issue. People are denied title deeds and there is little development in these previously disadvantaged areas. When these dwellers move onto vacant land for shelter, they are being evicted. Hon Minister, there must be urgent resolution and policy in this matter.
If one looks provincially in KwaZulu-Natal - listen carefully - in the previously NFP-run municipality of Nongoma, one would note that in 2012, in wards 2 and 5, 2 000 houses were promised and contractors were appointed, but construction has not begun. In Nkandla ward 6, it is the same story. In uMhlathuze, in the previous ward 5 in the then Ntambanana Local Municipality, now
ward 33, it is the same story. Contractors were appointed, but the construction has not begun. This needs urgent attention.
This is the mess in some of the municipalities that the IFP inherited when it regained control of these municipalities from the now defunct NFP. We are hard at work in these areas in delivering houses and services to the residents.
Allow me to conclude by stating the status quo as it is today. Twenty-five years into our new democracy, there is little change. It is not that we don't see change, but it is too little. [Interjections.] Poverty has been somewhat addressed, but by and large, our poor and most vulnerable have not seen change. This government must do better. And the IFP will partner with you in ensuring that the mandate of this department is achieved and we accordingly support this Budget Vote debate. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, I believe in dreams.
Afrikaans:
In die sestigerjare was ek 'n lid van die polisie wat verantwoordelik was vir die beveiliging van die Eerste Minister. Oppad vanaf Kaapstad na Pretoria het ek vir my vriend in die polisie ges: ...
English:
"One day, I would like to return to Cape Town but not as a policeman. I want to become a Member of Parliament." Fifty years later, my dream came true and I entered the National Assembly. [Interjections.]
There is a saying: Once a policeman, always a policeman.
Afrikaans:
Daarom wil ek vandag aan elke polisieman en polisievrou in hierdie land hulde bring. Die Vryheidsfront Plus sal julle ondersteun sover dit moontlik is.
Ek wil vir u s dat ek vir 40 jaar in die eiendomsbedryf is. Ek beskou myself as 'n grondvlakpolitikus. Ek het gesien hoe plakkerskampe oornag opskiet, maar dit gaan nie net oor
plakkerskampe nie. Nie een van ons in hierdie land wil sien hoe iemand in 'n drie-by-drie sinkgeboutjie sonder water en sonder elektrisiteit moet woon nie. En dan moet hulle nog honger gaan slaap. Ons wil dit nie h nie.
Ek het ook gesien hoe jongmense - alle rasse in Suid-Afrika - wat min geld verdien, maar tog kan bekostig om 'n paaiement op 'n woonhuis te betaal, nie een kan koop nie, want daar word nie voorsiening gemaak daarvoor nie. Ek wil daardie mense ondersteun en wil h dat die regering van die dag planne moet maak om hulle ook te help om hul eie huise te besit.
Ek sal 'n paar voorbeelde noem om die oorsake van die agterstand in behuising te verduidelik. Die eerste voorbeeld is onwettige immigrasie. Mense stroom oor die grense van Suid-Afrika, vanaf Afrika. Dit plaas groot druk op behuising.
Die tweede voorbeeld is korrupsie. Ons hoef nie eens daaroor te praat nie. Ons weet hoeveel miljoene rande in hierdie land verlore gegaan het.
Verder, ons het nie kundige mense nie. Ek het in die Langkloof, die Misgungebied, gesien dat 400 huise wat gebou is tot op die grond afgebreuk is. Dit moes oorgebou word. Dertig kilometer daarvandaan is gelukkige inwoners, want daar was beheer en toesig. Dis een van die mooiste projekte wat ek nog aanskou het en ek wens u kan dit saam met my gaan bywoon.
Ons moet onthou dat behuising 'n groter krisis in Suid-Afrika gaan word as wat ons nou beleef. Een van die redes is die ontvolking van die platteland. Daar is nie werk nie. Mense stroom na die stede. Een van die redes is dat daar geen werk is nie.
Beplanning is baie moeilik. Ek praat dikwels met amptenare van die munisipaliteite. Daar is duisende hektaar plaasgrond om die metros, maar dit vat baie jare om dit te ontkoppel en te hersoneer na residensile eiendom. Dit veroorsaak dat stadsbeplanners nie werklik vooruit kan beplan nie. As gevolg daarvan, beset plakkers dikwels met opset onwettige grond in die hoop dat daar vir hulle dienste voorsien sal word.
Die President van die land het 'n paar maande gelede ges dat hy nie sal toelaat dat grond onwettig beset word nie. Kort daarna het hulle die gebied tussen Uitenhage, Despatch en Port Elizabeth beset. Tussen Uitenhage en die N2 gebeur dieselfde ding. Niks word gedoen nie en die raad swyg. Twee weke later is ek deel van die groep mense wat staan, want hulle brand die pad. Dit veroorsaak polarisasie.
As dit kom by die oplossing van die behuisingsprobleem in Suid- Afrika, sal ons moet wakkerskrik. Wat is die oplossing? Ons moet beter beheer toepas op ons grense.
House Chair, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary to misinterpret what the President had said in this House, that people can occupy land illegally?
No, it is not a point of order. Can you take your seat, hon member? [Interjections.]
Afrikaans:
Hier in Suid-Afrika is die sakevertroue baie laag. Dit word voorspel dat daar 'n gemiddelde groei van 1% vanjaar gaan wees, maar die bevolkingsaanwas is 1,5%. Wat vertel dit vir ons? Die agterstand gaan net groter en groter word. Wat staan ons te doen? So dikwels vra ons onself af wat die regering alles moet doen, maar wat moet ons doen?
Ek is een van 11 kinders. Die 11 van ons het 21 kinders. As ons nie ook kyk na die bevolkingsaanwas van hierdie land nie, s ek vir u dat ons op 'n ramp afstuur. Ons as inwoners van hierdie land sal mooi moet dink as ons meer as twee of drie kinders wil h.
Ek wil afsluit. Dit is die verantwoordelikheid van elke leier in hierdie Parlement om hoop oor te dra, vertroue te h en nie pessimisties te wees nie. Pessimisme is erger as atesme. Die Vryheidsfront Plus s dat ons hoop moet h en moed moet hou. Sterkte!
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS WATER AND SANITATION
(Ms P TSHWETE): Hon House Chair, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation, the MECs that are here today form various provinces, hon Members of Parliament, Director-General, Mr Mbulelo Tshangana, Chairs and CEOs of Human Settlements Institutions, our sector stakeholders and hon guests.
I have the honour and privilege to deliver this year's budget vote speech when the country is celebrating 25 years since the dawn of democracy. It is a bitter-sweet pill though, as we continue to be faced with challenges of growing numbers of unemployment especially amongst the young people. Following the gruelling election campaign where we went door to door in on corners of the country and where we were reminded of the plight of many South Africans who continue to live in squalor. This persists even though the government has delivered more than 4.7 million housing opportunities in the past 23 years, assisting more than 20 million people.
Hon Chair, we have been mandated by the electorate, the majority of whom voted for us the ANC, to accelerate economic growth,
tackle poverty and inequality as a matter of urgency. This was reflected again in President Cyril Ramaphosa's statement on the announcement of the new Executive for the sixth administration when he said:
We have been guided by the need to build a modern developmental state that has the means to drive economic and social transformation, to embrace innovation and to direct effort and resources towards where they will have the greater impact.
It is against this background ladies and gentlemen, that as we take over the baton and the responsibilities of moving South Africa forward to the creation of sustainable human settlement, we become catalysts on how we collectively plan, coordinate investment and delivery amongst the different spheres of government and departments, the private sector and the civil society in order to unlock developmental synergy.
We will strengthen our effort to deliver houses and create poverty alleviation measures to support the SMMEs to play an
active role in the human settlement value chain. Hon Chair, we have seen that building houses through the People's Housing Process that is, PHP, self help model works, deliverers the large number impact results thereof in capacity building, empowerment programmes and job creation. The department has supported the establishment of construction and non- construction cooperatives to deliver various services in human settlements value chain.
The PHP directorate participated in the National Upgrading Support Programme's core team meetings and contributed to the development of the new informal settlement. We are exploring the re-positioning of the PHP programme to inter-phase with the informal settlement upgrade programme by formalising the self- help model. The modalities of this probe still have to be refined and will form part of proposals to the National Treasury for the Informal Settlements Upgrading Grant Funding. The need to address housing for vulnerable communities, including Military Veterans, upgrading of informal settlements and allocation of service sites, can increase the rate of delivery and make a huge dent in reversing the housing backlog which was
caused by you, DA and create jobs through the implementation, of the PHP Self Help Housing Project. Now, you do not know that you caused the backlog in this country. A classic example of this is the successful execution of the PHP programme in the Vulindlela Rural Housing Project in KwaZulu-Natal which will deliver 25 000 housing units on completion and currently standing at more than 22 O00 housing units delivered.
IsiXhosa:
Siyaqhuba nokuba aniboni, siyaqhuba.
English:
Therefore, to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Women's March to the Union Buildings against Apartheid Pass Laws and we also want to thank those women like Mama Sisulu, Winnie Mandela. You are here because of them, who decided to go and march for pass laws, even the houses that you are claiming today were not there and would not have been built today. Through the Department of Human Settlement's, Women's Build Campaign, we will hand over houses built using the PHP model in Nxarhuni Village outside Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, participate in
the construction of houses for the vulnerable at the Walmer Enhanced PHP housing flagship project in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality which is utilizing the cooperatives method in the delivery of houses, amongst others.
We will also participate in the construction of houses for women and the elderly in the Viljoenskroon, we must change this name [Laughter]. We will use the PHP project in the Free State and visit Mosselbay, George and Knysna where government is implementing PHP projects. Hon Chair, as we assume responsibility, we take into consideration the strides that have been made in relation to the empowerment of women and driving the transformation agenda forward in the sector. Thus, we urge all provinces that have not done so, MECs listen to this, to start implementing the decision of Ministers and Members of Executive Councils, MINMEC, to allocate 30% of their budget to women and we will monitor that.
The time for structured incubator and mentorship programmes linked to allocations of projects to emerging women contractors and SMMEs is now. Women have increasingly shown boldness and
interest in other areas of the human settlements value chain such as green building, infrastructure development, financing, materials supply, property development and management. We are looking forward to taking this conversation to the next level of implementation when we meet with women in the building industry during the month of August in Mpumalanga, siyaqhuba.
Ladies and gentleman, in December 2014, Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, during her address at the Youth Brigade Seminar said the reason for the gathering was to indicate to the young people that our priority in job creation in the human settlements value chain was the youth and people with disabilities. She said:
In you we look forward to harnessing the necessary energy and eagerness to get both yourselves and the elderly out of the cycle of poverty caused by the DA, and unemployment that has become such a worrying factor in our country.
Hon Chair, we are happy to inform you today that, indeed there are those young people and people with disabilities that have remained resolute and committed to the course and we will ensure
that they get the necessary support and remove all the unnecessary red tape and stumbling blocks that hinder their progress going forward, caused by you.
IsiXhosa:
Siyacela ke ngoko kubantu basemakhaya ukuba xa sizama ukwakha ezi zindlu singasebenzisi abantwana abancinci abaneminyaka eli- 14 sibenze ukuba bahambe baye kuqhankqalazela izindlu. Abo bantwana bafanele ukuba kumagumbi okufundela ezikolweni hayi ezitalatweni. Masingasebenzisi abantwana kwimicimbi yocalucalulo nopolitiko, nibula ikamva labantwana, yekani abantwana bafunde.
Xa ndigqibezela Sihlalo Ohloniphekileyo, ndithunukwa ngulo tata usuka apha.
English:
It is not in my speech but...
IsiXhosa:
...ndinayo into ethi mandikhe ndiphendule. Eyokuqala into yile, imeko seyilolu hlobo nje Mphathiswa, kukuba ootata bethu
babehlala ezihostele kungavunywa ukuba abafazi babo babahambele. Andithethi kuhlala mna, ndithetha ukuthi umfazi eze afike athi, bendizokubona tata, iinkomo ekhaya zifile, loo nto ibingavumelekanga. Emva ko-1994, abantu namakhosikazi bayakwazi bayakwazi ukuhambela abayeni babo eRhawutini. Namhlanje sixelelwa ukuba ...
Before the hon Meshoe, we would like to appeal to the people at the gallery. You are supposed to listen but you must not actively participate in the debate.
Hon Chair, hon members, the challenges that are faced by the residents of Alexandra are substantial. The people of Alexandra deserve answers to what happened to the R1,4 billion of tax payer's money that was allocated for the Alexandra Renewal Project, ARP, this money was supposed to be used to develop the township and build houses for residents who are living in very unhygienic conditions. There have been allegations for a number of years that most of the R1,4 billion that has gone missing has little or nothing to show for it and nothing being done of it. Most people who know about this ARP
project are very disappointed that Treasury has not demanded full accountability for the missing funds.
The vision of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework is to realise sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household life. Priorities include the delivery of 110 000 new housing units by the end of this year. Hon Chair, unless corruption is rooted out, and accountability the mandate, this vision cannot be realised. Millions of our people are still living in squalid conditions in informal settlements where there are no basic services such as water and sanitation.
On the 31 May, we were shocked to see the demolition of about 80 houses in Stjwetla Informal Settlement in Alexandra. Protestors reacted by throwing stones, sadly two bonded houses were torched in the process. The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, JMPD, spokesperson Wayne Minnaar later said that the demolished housed were illegally built and too close to the river. The ACDP believes that it is cruel to allow people to build houses illegally and then send the Red Ants later to demolish those houses. People must be stopped from invading illegal land in the
first place because if they do not do that, people will go in there and their houses will be demolished again.
Government should subsidise and encourage self help schemes throughout the country so that many of our people can start building their own houses. If this is not done, then informal settlements will forever be with us. The ACDP is not going to support this budget and subsequent budgets, until a criminal investigation into the unaccounted for R1,4 billion has been concluded and steps against the thieves and all those who benefited from corruption at the expense of the needy people of Alexandra, have been taken. Unless it is done, the ACDP is not going support the subsequent budgets. Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and hon members
...
IsiXhosa:
...siyavuya xa uthe waphinda wabuya, kule nto yenu yokuphuma ningena,.umntu asebenze iinyanga ezintandathu, aphinde
akhutshwe. Ngoku nawe uzakuchitha ezinye iinyanga ezili-18 ucoca la monakalo kaNomvula, uphinde uhambe.
English:
Part of the problem is that each new Minister thinks that he or she is a new broom that will sweep away all the problems, with a new style and idea of what will work. It is, however, patently clear that the lack of policy consistency and effective implementation is a big obstacle. Without continuity, performance cannot be accurately measured. As the UDM sees it, there must be a dramatic shift from crisis management to a more proactive and comprehensive approach.
We can achieve winning housing for a winning nation, only through a master plan that encompasses uniform infrastructure development, which accomplishes housing projects. The UDM supports the housing budget proposal, with the following, but not limited to, provisions:
IsiXhosa:
Okokuqala Mphathiswa, kufuneka khe sicebise ukuba makhe kubekho le nto kuthiwa yi...]
English:
... Presidential Council on Sustainable Development, where all the departments that will be dealing with infrastructure...
IsiXhosa:
... ziza kudityaniswa khona, ukuze zisololoko zilungelelanisa ngalo lonke ixesha. Nibe nayo nemaphu ezakubonakalisa xa kusakhiwa iindlela ukuba le indlela iyaphi, izindlu zizakwakhiwa ndawoni na kule nto yokuba kusithiwa abantu mabasondele kwindawo zempangelo. Ngoku, akukho ngqeqesho ebantwini, abantu bakha izindlu nasecaleni kwendlela okanye ecaleni kwesiporo sikaloliwe. Sithi ke lilonke, njengomntu osuka kwiSebe laMazwe ngaMazwe neNtsebenziswano noko kudala uhamba. Uyayiqonda le ntetho ye...
English:
... council on sustainable development. Thank You.
Chairperson, greetings to the hon members, staff, guests and South Africa as a whole. Today as we meet here to vote for this budget, we are indebted to the people of our beautiful land; the land in which the beauty was disorganised by settlers who came to settle. They found us peaceful and they abused our philosophy of botho or ubuntu as Khoi and San, and they turned our country into violence that the United Nations declared as a crime against humanity, lest we forget.
The people of South Africa gave our glorious alliance movement further years to lead the revolution for building an egalitarian South Africa. We are determined to respond and act according to the mandate of the people, as a contract with the voters of the South. As the end of our manifesto states, I quote, "you, meaning the people, helped us to develop this manifesto, we must work together to effectively implement it."
In that, we are listening and hear the people of Ratanda, the people of Seshego, the people of Herschel, ha Morena Kakudi and in all corners of the land, calling loudly that we dare not fail them in leading this noble transformation agenda. Let me just
make some comments on some few points from the opposition. The hon members, Mr Basson and Ms Mokgotho, I think that the challenge you are facing is that you are supporting the ANC, but unfortunately, you are supporting with different form of support which is anger.
So, you must say it clear when you support rather than being angry. For those who are not attending our portfolio committee meetings ...
Afrikaans:
Ek is jammer vir meneer Mey, omdat hy nie na ons vergaderings kom nie.
English:
The department and the portfolio committee are in total agreement that human settlements, water and sanitation gives comfort, life and dignity to the people of the land. Our centrality of oversight is for this budget to achieve exactly that. Policy formulation ... [Interjections.]
Chairperson, I am standing on a point of order.
Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): What is the point of order, hon member?
I think that the hon member is misleading the House because the EFF didn't support the budget.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): What is the point of order?
The point of order is that the member is misleading the public.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): That is not the point of order.
I am saying this because we didn't support the budget.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Can you take your seat, hon member?
We won't support the ANC.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): That is not a point of order.
We are not sleeping with the ANC here, yes, we are not.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): That is not a point of order. You can continue hon member.
Setswana:
A re nwe metsi, mma. A re nwe metsi.
English:
The policy formulation is to advance intergovernmental relations to co- ordinante harmonisation of plans of all spheres of government. Tripartite forums that constitute government,
business and civil society in all projects, will take us a long way. This will even deter the unscrupulous behavior, including selling and buying of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, house before the eight year term, and to clarify the notion of who is the preferential buyer of government houses.
The current studies reflect that there are informal settlements which will be upgraded soon. It is because of high level of inequality to access land, and this Parliament, is engaged on the rapid land release, integrated residential development programmes, different typologies of units like rentals and subsidy deliverology that will be implemented soon.
These programmes are leading towards a bigger project of access to land through expropriation. South Africa will never be the same again. Upgrading of informal settlements means not anymore that third and second generations will live in this kind of situation, albeit their dynamics in these formal settlement, but change will happen. Collaboration of stakeholders at all spheres of government should plan within the definition of what human
settlements, water and sanitation means that a house develops to be a home with the social amenities and the grounds that government provides, and the integrated planning from the department become enablers.
I think we agree with the General there in terms of integrated planning. We will make the department as enablers for human settlements to have townships to be proclaimed to have electricity, water, sanitation ...
Sesotho:
... nako ya ka ha e tsamaye, ha ke sa tseba hore na ke hoake.
English:
... roads, health, education, recreation and business facilities, etc. These are the prerequisite of any project to happen, that if we are having a joint planning and not planning in silos, we are going to meet the requirements of defining human settlements. This is a big difference from building houses and building human settlements.
This government is investing on assets that create value. Government will also partner through its entities with other co- operatives locally and internationally with the emphasis of gender mainstreaming. We agreed with the department on considering publication of the needs register, Minister, - I think these are very important - to address those people who say that they have since applied for the RDP since 1994.
President, our beloved leader, we are on track to build a smart city. I, therefore, on behalf of this glorious movement, support the adoption of the budget for the R33,8 billion for 2018-19 financial years. Let me highlight some few points in relation to what the opposition has said. Mr Basson, about what you said about the backlog, I think you should not put yourself away from the history of this country.
As the DA, every time when you speak, you should be able to reflect, why we are in this mess? We are in this mess because you created this mess. In all that you have said, you are actually saying ... [Interjections.]
Chairperson, I'm rising on a point of order.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Can you hold on hon member. What is the point of order?
Chairperson, he is mentioning Mr Basson by name as he himself is ... [Interjections.]
Afrikaans:
Meneer Basson. Ek het ges, meneer Basson.
No, he cannot cast aspersions on the member.
Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Hon members.
Meneer and Mister is one thing.
Sesotho:
Kapa o batla ke re monghadi?
You can't cast aspersions.
Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Hon Tseki, let me intervene on your behalf. I think the order is not sustained. Can you carry on?
HON MEMBER: Why?
Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Meneer was said, and meneer is honourable.
I must encourage that ... [Interjections.]
Chairperson.
Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Can you take your seat hon member?
IsiZulu:
Ngicela ukuhlola ukuthi ngabe umhlonishwa angawuthatha yini umbuzo?
IsiZulu:
USIHLALO WESIKHASHANA (Mn F D Xasa): Ungawuthatha yini umbuzo lungu elihloniphekile?
IsiZulu:
Angikwazi ukuwuthatha umbuzo mhlonishwa. Ngizawuthatha ngesikhathi esizayo.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Next time.
I am sorry, Chairperson.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Yes.
It is not about calling him meneer or honourable, it's about casting aspersions to Mr Basson saying that he himself was responsible for the trouble as the person. That is the point that I'm making, Chair.
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Hon member, can you please take your seat? That is not a point of order. Continue hon Tseki.
That means you guys are excited. Oh, sorry, let me not go there. Minister and Chairperson ... [Interjections.]
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Hon member, can you please take your seat?
I just want to withdraw what I just said, when I said, you guys. I was saying, members on my left are getting excited and that reflects on the truth of what I have said. The last point I want to say is that, for those hon members who are not attending ... [Interjections.]
The Acting Chairperson (Mr F D Xasa): Order hon members, we must not drown the speaker, please.
... for those hon members who are not attending our portfolio committee meeting, they will continue to come to this platform and say things that were not discussed in the meeting. So, don't remote our discussion. You must be part of the discussion and attend the meeting of the portfolio committee. On that note, Chair ...
Xitsonga:
...ha khensa swinene.
Setswana:
Pula!
MALOKO A PALAMENTE: A e ne!
Hon Chairperson; now is the time to put back the human into Human Settlements. The conditions in which poor people live, is a truest measure of the health of any society. In order to accurately appraise these conditions, it is important to consider context and honestly acknowledge which is good, bad and ugly.
South Africa can be very proud of the number of fully subsidised homes built to accommodate poorer families over the past 25 years. I'm not sure if any other country on earth can boast having given away two-and-a-half million plumbed-and-piped brick-and-mortar homes in this period. Few can disagree that this is good service delivery. [Applause.]
The quality of the construction work has sometimes been poor; and the numbers indicate that delivery of new homes has slowed down over the past 10 years. It is clear delivery is not keeping pace with demand, so that's bad. That we have built all these homes without unstitching apartheid spatial planning, perpetuating the Group Areas Act model that reserved the best land for white people while consigning black people to the peripheries of our town and cities is shameful and ugly. [Applause.] Where people live matters!
Hon Chairperson, Minister Sisulu has set ambitious targets for the department, which include committing to end the indignity of the bucket toilet system within six months. GOOD will monitor these targets and hold the Minister to account. Hon Minister, South Africa wants to champion your vision as we keep our fingers on the pulse of good service delivery to ensure we fix South Africa. This is critical considering your department's budget should be well-used and not misused.
The Minister has returned to a department she knows intimately. She has another opportunity to begin to re-shape our towns and
cities, to continue providing families with comfort and security at home, and title deeds that can afford them access to economic security. With another opportunity to address the relationship between space and race, I am painfully reminded how our people were dumped between bridges and highways that today, it still separate us by race. We must build more quality homes, a lot faster. And we must address urban sprawl, spatial division and injustice by filling in the empty spaces and integrating our people.
There is only one way to fix South Africa, with a good starting point, use all public land for public good. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, the approach should be informed by the position of the PAC of "One Plot, One Family". As far as PAC is concerned, it is the size of the plot and the allocation process now. People are crying out loud for land to build decent homes and move out of shacks. Instead, you want to put money into confiding them into indignity of being landless shack
dwellers, who as a result, end up being victims of crime on a daily basis.
The African masses are tired of hearing fairy tales and lullabies and how much money will be wasted, without changing their daily realities. They want decent homes, Minister. They want crime-free environments. Take the land Minister, don't repossess unused land. Repossess land, ...
IsiXhosa:
... aba belungu bawuba lo mhlaba kwaye bawuxutha.
English:
Repossess and restore the land to its owners. We are the owners of this land.
IsiXhosa:
Ngokuya nanisiya emzabalazweni nanisithi niyokwenzani xa ngoku niza kufuna umhlaba ongasetyenziswayo? Nanisiyaphi? Kaloku lo ungasetyenziswayo ubukade ukhona kakade, sifuna lo bakuwo ngoku.
English:
Take the land and restore the land to the African people. This land belongs to us. Build homes for military veterans Minister, regardless of political affiliation. True veterans...
IsiXhosa:
... zihlala ematyotyombeni babe abantwana behlala ezindlwini besithi bangamagqala.
English:
That must change Minister. The PAC rejects this Budget. [Interjections.]
Hon Chair, we want to tell the Minister; stop giving money to provinces and municipalities, spend it yourself. Al Jama-ah welcomes the do-it-yourself houses and looks forward to it. Gentrification, hon Minister, must be on your radar, as developers destroy communities, which is the new apartheid. Hon Chair, it is good to have the Minister back but the R2,2 billion drop in the Budget is sad but Al Jama-ah is sure the quality of leadership will make up for this.
We cannot wait for the Minister to expropriate land in the Western Cape stolen from the people. Minister, you have now given hope to the people of the Cape Flats and Philippe, which has been the Cinderella of every government since 1948.
On another note, Minister, start budgeting for the cyber civilization that the country needs. Minister, don't forget rural areas such as KwaDumayo and Umgai. Electrify them from your R14 million Budget. The R647 million for disaster recovery in KwaZulu-Natal is a start - not enough - please roll it out to Umdoni and Umzumbe in the Ugu district were we have councillors. The African child must not live in sewerage, eat in sewerage and learn in sewerage. So, we call on the Ministries to implement the National Environmental Management Act in informal settlements and to jail officials of municipalities hell-bent on harming the dignity of the African child.
Human Settlements Development Bank must provide interest-free loans. I agree with the Minister, it must go to women as they are good payers. Research I picked up in Indonesia where 99% of five million women pay back their loans, which is interest-free.
I saw the joy on their faces and I would like to see the joy on the faces of women in our own country.
Minister, at the beginning we said, please stop giving money to provinces and municipalities. You mentioned that you give them money and they don't spend it. They are afraid of what Al Jama- ah calls, black creeps in the previously advantaged areas. In Masiphumelele, for example, near the Simon's Town Naval Base, you find that every attempt is made to prevent black creep. There is land available. Minister, please unleash the land. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Good afternoon hon members, Minister, Deputy Minister, and the Human Settlements family,
Setswana:
re le mokgatlho o busang wa ANC, re rata go leboga set?haba sotlhe se se tsereng karolo mo ditlhopong tsa ngwaga o. Re a ikana gore re tla tokafatsa matshelo a lona go ya ka lenaneo tlhomo la ANC. Ebile re a netefatsa re le maloko a ntlokgolo ya boset?haba, gore re tla tswela pele ka go bona gore Lefapha la
Kago ya Matlo le Diterelo le tlisa diterelo tse di maleba go batho ba Afrika borwa, bogolo setona ba ba dikobo dikhutshwane, re lebeletse thata bomme le batho ba ba nang le bogole.
English:
Hon House Chairperson, as outlined in the strategy and tactics document of the ANC, we will act as agents of change in the centres of power that we are deployed in, be it in the state, the economy, mass organization and international work. We will exercise our leadership not by decree or through arrogance, but in terms of the logic acumen and from the exemplary conduct. Honesty, hard work, humility and respect will be displayed to our people at all times.
As the Minister said when she was handing over title deeds in Cornubia last week, the ANC will also fast track the issuing of title deeds to housing beneficiaries, further strengthen the partnership with private sector in the development which has resulted in the creation of the inclusive modern settlement made of decent housing units, malls, industrial factories, retail parks and office spaces for various businesses.
Minister, we welcome this initiative and we pledge our support for the next coming five years, and we will make sure that we conduct our oversight as the members of this House. Hon members, it is for this reason too, that as the ANC, we support this Budget Vote so that we can implement clause 9 of the Freedom Charter which says:
"All people shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed and to bring up their families in comfort and security"
Hon members, before 1994, as the Minister has confirmed,
5 million people were living in 1,5 million self-constructed informal dwellings and since we took power in 1994, we have built more than 4 million house and I think that this is a good story to tell. [Applause.] We have also created institutional mechanisms to facilitate housing deliver, for example, the National Housing Finance Corporation, Social Housing Regulatory Authority, Housing Development Agency, and the National Home Builder's Regulatory Council.
We have adopted the Breaking New Ground Policy to build integrated community which have made impact in most of our areas. Today we can tell a good story about the N2 Gateway Housing Protect in the Western Cape; in Cosmo City, in Gauteng, Aloe Ridge social housing project in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal; Umhlathuzi catalytic project which is in KwaZulu- Natal, and the Bridge-City integrated city which is also in KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.
Hon Chair, we also support the R1.2, billion of the budget allocated to Human Settlements entities and we will continuously hold them accountable to see if the money allocated is spent wisely and productively. The establishment of a Human Settlement Development Bank will also assist in the delivery of houses.
In his Sona, His Excellency, President Ramaphosa said:
"If the South African government is to effectively address the substantial housing backlog, models of financing Human Settlement needed to be developed. The Human Settlements Development Bank will leverage both public and private sector
financing to aid housing delivery, it will assist in expanding the people's housing programme, where households are allocated serviced stands to build their own houses, either individually or through community led cooperatives"
We support the capital and operational funding allocated to this Development Bank for this administration and management of the finance linked subsidy programme and the housing subsidy, which of course, will assist first time home buyers with purchasing a home.
Hon members, the National Home Builders Registration Councils' mandate is to protect the interest of housing consumers and to ensure that builders comply with the prescribed building industry standards. Its aim is to assist and protect housing consumers from any unscrupulous home builders who deliver substandard houses, bad workmanship, and poor-quality material, no matter the size or value of your home building project.
Hon members, we will put this entity as one of our priorities in our agenda as we continue to experience defaults in many of the
houses across the country. We urge them to clean up the inspection and crack down on allegations of inspectors committing fraud and other malpractices. The Social Housing Regulatory Authority has failed over a period of time to utilize the grant allocated to them, resulting in poor performance in the implementation of its mandate. We will strengthen our oversight as the portfolio committee in this regard too.
The Community Schemes Ombud Services must improve in terms of the revenue management system. And, the Housing Development Agency also has some challenges of not utilizing the grant allocated to them which resulted in returning the unspent money to the National Treasury.
Overall Minister, governance of the entities has been weakened as reported in the media. The board are accountable to you, call them to assist and apply sound governance or they must simply resign and step aside so that you can appoint competent and focused people who will have the interests of our people at heart. [Applause.]
Human Settlements entities are important and critical for our delivery machinery. They are our special purposed vehicles on service delivery and we expect to live up to the mandate they are created to fulfil. The entities must fully align their performance plans with that of the department. Anything less than that should be seen as treason and betraying the mandate given to, by the ANC.
In conclusion, hon members, Gaston Bachelard said:
"The house shelters day dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace"
The ANC support Budget Vote 38 of the Department of Human Settlements. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon House Chair, Ministers and Deputy Ministers and colleagues and members in the gallery, the NFP welcomes the report tabled here today. We acknowledge that this department has over the last 25 years put in place policy
strategies and etc to deal with the issue of housing in South Africa.
Now, that it is the mandate it gets in terms of its Constitution. I want to plea with the Minister while the she is here, Minister, I will urge you to spend just one night, just one night in one of this RDP houses in winter. Just spend few hours at night and look at what life is for our people in these homes that we built for them. That is why I don't call them homes I call them houses and I feel there is a different between a house and a home. The substandard and the quality, the lack of proper sanitation and water, this is the life of our people 25 years into democracy.
Now don't misinterpret what I'm say, I'm not say there was no good work that has been done. Yes indeed millions of our people have been provided houses by the ANC, by the DA by the IFP by NFP wherever they govern. Let us be honest about it, we build houses but 25 years later millions of our people either remain homeless many of them died waiting on that waiting lists for home and they couldn't get one. And the question is why, what
haven't we been doing correct. Now the NFP have been repeatedly calling for a change in the model and I'm glad that in the state of the nation address in February the President announced a Human Settlement Development Bank.
We don't believe that is enough because it is not only government's responsibility to provide funding and that is why we say Minister, provide adequate fully service sites to the people, create this development bank and not only through the state, but also to outside investment so that they can all participate in providing houses and also creating a lot of jobs then the entire economy is going to be driven with this and a lot of people will get houses a lot sooner than they are getting now.
Now if you look at the current situation in South Africa even if the homeless is growing, what we are not taking into consideration while we are building houses is the increase in population which is increasing by 800 000 and almost a million a year. Now if you don't take that into consideration, it means the challenge of housing in South Africa is going to remain.
And I want to urge the department, and one of the major problems we got with all the departments is that departments are not adequately functioning in the interest of servicing people and with such a large proportion of our budget going to compensation to employers. It is time to fire those people who cannot perform. The NFP will support this Budget Vote on the bases that we are going forward in providing these houses to our people. Thank you very much.
Chairperson, on 11 March 2017, while working in local government, I awoke to a frantic call informing me that a devastating fire had broken out in Hout Bay and was ripping through the informal settlement of lmizamo Yethu.
I arrived 20 minutes later to scenes that I can only describe as tragedy. Helicopters rounded the mountains in dangerous winds, while fire fighters traversed the steep terrain trying to extinguish the fire where the winds were spreading it west.
As we navigated our way up through the settlement to meet officials, we were passed by men and women hurrying down the
mountain to safety, carrying on their backs their last remaining possessions - mattresses, couches, suitcases of clothes - stealing their resolve to get down that hill and away from the fire that had already swallowed whole their homes. Children, some dazed, lost and confused, screaming hysterically as they ran after their terrified mothers barefoot. And as we approached the top of settlement where the fire had first started, the acrid smell of burning bodies permeated the soot filled sky.
Three people died that day; over 2000 homes of some our nation's poorest people were destroyed; and 10 000 people were displaced. The hon Minister Sisulu will remember that fire well, because she visited the recovery operation once in coming days. It was of course the last the city heard from or saw of her or head from the Ministry.
On a point of order.
Hon member at the podium, take your seat, please. hon Powell, would you just sit down, please. Why are you rising on, hon member?
House Chairperson it is parliamentary convention when a member makes a maiden speech, that they are not hackled and hauled at like the hon member at the back is doing.
Hon member, hon member it is a parliamentary tradition and convention that we do that unless of course the member is provocative, but let us respect the member at the podium and also not allow for running commentary, right, we don't allow it in National Assembly, running commentary on speeches, hon Powell...
On a point of order Chairperson.
Why are you rising on, hon member?
You were not here and the member was sitting there and she was very provocative herself, so, it seems as if she not making her maiden speech, so.
Thank you hon member, hon member is delivering her maiden speech, continue hon member.
Informal settlement fires are not unique to Cape Town and its strong winds. For the 2O17 municipal reporting period, 5283 informal dwelling fires were recorded across South Africa. The value of this loss carried by already cash strapped municipalities equated to more than R79 million rand.
Chairperson, no one should have to live in an informal dwelling with the constant threat of losing their home to fire.
Sadly, according to the National Treasury, more than l3% of South Africans live in informal homes. Rapid urbanisation is making ii increasingly difficult to address existing backlogs let alone respond to new demands. The vast majority of municipalities do not even have inventories of their informal settlements, which makes understanding the magnitude of informality almost impossible. There is something fundamentally wrong with a system in which millions of people do not have
their most fundamental need for basic shelters met because the state and economy have failed them.
Chair, it is abundantly clear that the problems with current approach to housing are numerous. South Africa's housing allocation system is unable to cope with the complexity of migration across provinces, and the outstanding backlog on the housing data base is rousing an ever-increasing tide of frustration, resulting in violent riots across our country.
The informal sale of RDP houses means that desperate South Africans are selling their homes on the informal market to fund their basic living costs, and then again end up living in back yards or zinc structures built on inhabitable land such as wetlands and flood basins - prone to flooding and fire.
The ANC's commitment to political expediency and populism has meant that calls by desperate municipalities for legislative amendments to the prevention of Illegal Evictions Act have been ignored, resulting in Greenfield sites obtained for formal development being illegally invaded before even basic earthworks
can be completed, once more perpetuating the cycle of informality.
The sluggish pace of land reform, combined with whole scale government corruption has meant that land intended for development has not been forthcoming - and in response to the slow pace of reform, our ruling elite has sought to obscure their failures with populist calls for expropriation without compensation.
In the face of this ever-shifting landscape, our national legislation on the issue of housing remains archaic, expensive, and frankly, the most fundamental hindrance to executing real and lasting change.
And juxtaposing this crisis in bitter irony, is an air that has for years been thick with promises of reform - the National Development Plan, the Breaking New Ground Programme, Thuma Mina, The so called New Dawn - but on the ground we are yet to see those reforms materialise into genuine change.
Instead, the country's leaders have the audacity to stand at this very podium and make lofty statements about great dreams of smart cities and bullet trains - while the people of our land languish in the dust of our leader's apathy.
Hon Members, we as legislators sit in this house entrusted with the last remaining rubble of our nation's hope,
Chairperson, on a point of order.
What is the point of order?
Can you see the member?
What is the point of order?
She is suppose to present the maiden speech, she cannot be offensive.
Hon member, that is why I'm allowing the members to interject and to respond to what she says. Let me chair the session, thank you. Continue hon member.
Hon members, we as legislators sit in this house entrusted with the last remaining rubble of our nation's hope, and we are charged with seeking out honest, evidence-based solutions that will finally turn the tides on the poverty of our people.
The DA will not stand by in silence and watch our great nation reduced to a begging bowl of informality. And as a result of the need for change it is the DA that has worked most studiously to develop an innovative housing policy.
The DA recognises that after years of corruption the state resources to give every family a house does not exist. The Department needs to move away from building free standing structures and instead build compact, environmentally friendly developments, close to economic opportunities, using the latest building methodologies the open market can offer.
Under a DA housing policy, National Treasury would implement tighter regulations on the expenditure of the Urban Settlements Development Grant to ensure that this money is used to alleviate the housing backlog.
A DA housing policy would provide vouchers to qualifying beneficiaries, allowing them to build their own homes on government-provided service sites and, social housing units in mixed income developments would be made available by leveraging bulk rights to ensure developers add at least 25% additional low-cost units on all new developments.
Chair, what is clear is that the DA has already developed solutions to address the housing crisis. If the ANC could only look past their cheap political expediency and invoke their imaginations to envisage a different way doing things, they we may begin to see the incredible power that good policy can wield in the lives of desperate South Africans. In finding these solutions we must remember that the decisions we take today, will shape tomorrow's future.
I urge the leaders in this house to urgently seek innovative ways of bringing about change, instead of seeking innovative ways to pocket it.
The clock is ticking and it's five minutes to midnight. I thank you.
Chairperson, the last I heard of the surname Powell was in KwaZulu-Natal, an IFP person. I am just reminding you.
Minister, Chairperson, Chief Whips and Deputy Chief Whips. We are happy that, Minister, you are committed that you are going to end the difficulties of the service delivery in housing but also that, in doing so, you still going to give houses to people whilst you are doing your work. Already, you have started to identify areas where these houses are going to be built speedily in provinces that you have already mentioned. You also have said that triple Ps shall be used to fast track the processes thereof.
We must just warn you, however, Minister, that for instance, over the weekend I was in Ekurhuleni and the Ekurhuleni municipality has committed to give houses to the people of Ekurhuleni.
There are people with some colours that are in here who definitely do not want to allow that process to continue, simply for the purpose of the fact that they either have sold the land themselves or they themselves have already occupied the stands and the houses we want to give, deliberately. It is for that reason you will hear them here debating that you demolish people's houses when it is illegal houses built on illegal land; and I think we really need to continue to demolish houses that are built wrongful and arrest those that are building those particular houses.
Minister, I think the House must not forget that in the world there is only one party in government, the ANC, that could have built one million and more houses within a very short space of time. [Applause.] And of course, we still believe that the fact that we have identified that there are three million people that
are still outstanding, it is a good sign that we are going to work towards eradicating those particular homelessness in your area.
But you must also understand that people are moving in bulk and beaches into the cities and they are populating the structure that it makes difficult for you to do. However, the fact that you are wanting to bring back the People's Housing Process, PHPs, which is going to give us the help me to build a house is going to be very important, more especially with the fact that there is a human settlement development bank that you are proposing that it must now be restarted, it will give credence to this issues.
Chairperson, I think we must try to help those whose memories are short.
Afrikaans:
Mnr Mey, ek dink jy was hier gedurende die tyd toe die meerderheid van Suid- Afrika se mense nie toegelaat was om huise te h nie, en jy het toe niks daarvan ges nie. Vandag gee ons
huise vir elke mens in Suid-Afrika. Dit maak nie saak of hulle wit, swart, geel of blou is nie. Maar jy het 'n probleem daarmee. Ek kan dit nie verstaan nie.
English:
Minister, it is our view that the fact that you are agreeing with the ANC that indeed housing symbolizes dignity, security of tenure, financial security and safety, and comfort to our people. It is a good thing that even the DA themselves, in their own words, they confirm that housing is not necessarily a benefit but a right, and in your words you are saying that right must never been taken away from anybody we must give houses to everybody as you have already said.
You are coping from original and you make original yours when you are a fake. We also do know, Minister, that the issue of the backlog that is there on the title deeds, we want to believe that the Medium Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, and the Department Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation will have to deliver houses in a very speedy manner that will have to bring about that dignity to our own people.
Accelerate the eradication of title deeds backlog and I think you have said in your statement that you are going to have a process of bringing back those particular title deeds every Friday we believe that it must not be only be Friday if you believe that there is also time even Saturdays and Sundays, please do that.
The Title Deed Restoration Grant we know that at some point it was given R518,6 million and today it is given R547,7 million in the 2019-20 financial year. What we look very interest as the ANC Minister is that there must be no none spending of this particular money, the R547,7 million must be spent, title deeds must be given to people. We believe this Friday's issue on the title deeds will help to do that.
We also know at some point there was a programme called 'One Learner - One Estate Agency' Youth Empowerment Brigade Programme. That programme brought about knowledge and understanding to the students to understand the real estate and its implications. But we know that at some point that programme was not funded and we are asking that, that programme must be
brought back and be funded. Because besides creating a bit of a job but it also created knowledge which we might need in the long run from young people.
It is our view that, Chair, unless we do that we will have a difficulty of complementing the fact that South Africa belongs to all who lives in it both black and white and therefore, as the ANC we want to support this particular Budget Vote.
I think we must also say that it is not true that in the committee there was a party that did not support the Budget Vote; there was unity in the committee of supporting. So those that they are saying they did not support they were not in the meeting we must appreciate and forgive them, but the fact is that all of us who are members of that committee have adopted the budget and for that reason I want to third those that have already move and seconded that we support this Budget Vote.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WATER AND SANITATION: Hon
chair, oh my God, how did it come to five minutes?
That's five minutes, Minister.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WATER AND SANITATION: I would
like to thank all of those who have supported the Budget Vote. I would like to thank, in particular, the ANC members who stood here and debated on this matter. As they stood here and talked I could see that these are people who come from a party that is steeped in understanding what it is that they come to Parliament for. [Applause.] You could learn from them and what they were saying you could see they had read up on what they were saying. They were not just here to howl and demean and all of those things.
Thank you very much to the hon members I want to thank also in particular to the chair for giving excellent direction to the committee and I want to say at this point that I am glad that at this point we have brought together the two Departments of Human Settlement and Water and Sanitation because it makes our work in human settlement so much easier to work. A great number of our projects have been blocked in the past while we waited for water
licenses. Now, we will have one streamlined delivery and we will be able to deliver better.
At this point I would like to recognize the presence of the Deputy Minister Mahlobo here for Water and Sanitation purposes, thank you.
The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, you do me proud, you have covered most of I would wanted to say and I would not go over that; especially in relation to responding to hon Basson. Yes, millions of our people are living in appalling conditions, that is the backlog we inherited from apartheid. Where else did you think we found it? And we are building every day, we are building every day to make life better for our people. Do you know where most of the other people come from? They are evicted by farmers in the Western Cape, your people, evicted on a daily basis and this must stop. [Interjections.] Yes, it must stop.
Then we have members of the DA coming here to say they have best practice, it is absolutely rubbish. Let me tell you. Where we run this province we delivered 16 700 houses per year. The DA
came in and you know what they deliver a shameful 7 400, what is that you teach us? [Interjections.] This is... This is not true. This is statistically proven, go and look at it, go and check it.
I would to say to the EFF it is unfortunate that you desist from supporting this Budget Vote because deep inside you know you support every step of what we are doing, every step of what we are doing. [Applause.] Simply just to be different and whatever it is you decide that you are going to blame someone else and absorb yourself. However, I do know that the message fell on every fertile ground and this Budget Vote will go through with your support at some point.
I would like to say to the IFP that we are very concerned about the rural areas and rural towns and we are dealing this. It is in our policy, please read our policy; we have been at this policy for a very long time. The reason why we have won international awards is precisely because it is world best practice.
I want to indicate to the member that we are very concerned about the IFP constituency that lives in our hostels. We built hostels, we renovated hostels and they refused to move from the original hostels, if you come along and persuade them, we will move them into descent accommodation. So that when you come here next time you will not be gambling about that. [Applause.]
The FF-Plus member says that he was a policeman and it confirms my worse fears. Once a policeman always a policeman [Interjections.] even in the way of thinking can't get over to becoming a politician. And again, please assist us with making sure you can police your farmers from throwing out our people from their land and evicting them. [Applause.]
Hon Meshoe, thank you for reminding us about the levels of poverty. This is what we are dealing with everyday. I don't know, apart from praying what it is that you are doing and your party. We are solving the problem of Alexander renewal and the allegation of missing billions is something that we are concerned about. Perhaps you can approach... hon Meshoe, you can approach the IFP to put this matter on Standing Committee on
Public Accounts, Scopa, so that we can get to the bottom of this. We are also very in agreement with you on this.
The UDM's hon Mgebe, I am here now but he is not here, okay. I would like him to... [Interjections.]
IsiXhosa:
Ndilapha, ndikhona, ndiyakubona. [Ukuhleka.]
English:
Hon Minster, your time has expired.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WATER AND SANITATION: Thank
you to all of you for supporting this Budget Vote and Mgebe you can now move over to the ANC, that is how close you are today. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Hon member, you are reminded of the following debates at 4:30 this afternoon: Transport Budget Vote debate in the NA, Science and Technology
Budget Vote debate in the Old Assembly and Statistics SA Budget Vote debate in Committee Room E249.
That concludes the debate and the business of this mini plenary. The mini plenary will now rise.
The mini-plenary rose at 16:10 -----------------------