MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
QUESTION FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO.: 1026
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 AUGUST 2014
Mr S M Gana (DA) to ask the Minister of Human Settlements:
(a) How many subsidy or RDP houses have been sold by original recipients
within the first 8 years after occupation in the (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13
and (iii) 2013-14 financial years and (b) for each specified year, how many
were (i) sold illegally and (ii) sold back to the department?
NW1179E
REPLY
In terms of Section 10A and 10B of the Housing Amendment Act 4 of 2001, a
beneficiary âshall not sell or otherwise alienate his or her dwelling or
site within a period of eight years from the date on which the property was
acquired by that person unless the dwelling or site has first been offered
to the relevant provincial housing departmentâ.
Due to the fact that there were no instruments in place for tracking
unlawful sale of subsidised houses, information on this aspect of
subsidised housing is not readily available to Provincial departments, and
by implication, to the National Department. However, there could be
instances where cases come to the attention of the relevant department when
a specific complaint or dispute arises. In respect of the Western Cape
Department of Human Settlements, it deems the buying back of houses not to
be a viable option as the property may have been improved, adding to the
value, or even neglected.
Honourable member you would be aware that I had on several occasions
indicated that I will ensure that we have a credible Housing Database. This
will include cleaning the housing waiting list and ensure that it is
centralised to avoid double-dipping and related challenges, and we
prioritise the elderly and child-headed households. It will also include
conducting an occupancy audit of the houses built by government and handed
over to beneficiaries. In this regard, we have already signed a service
level agreements (SLA) with the State Information Agency Technology (SITA)
to assist us with the credible Housing database referred to above.
However, the Western Cape Department does consider waiving the pre-emptive
right in extreme cases, thus allowing for the sale of the house, but only
after the beneficiary has occupied the property for more than two years.
Information has been requested from provincial departments of human
settlements and the available responses are provided. Further details will
be forwarded as and when they are received.
(a) The number of subsidised houses sold within the first 8 years after
occupation:
(i) 2011-12: 151 houses. Western Cape recorded waiving the pre-emptive
right in 151 cases, thus allowing for the sale of the house, but only after
the beneficiary had occupied the property for more than two years.
(ii) 2012-13: 389 houses, made up of 112 houses in Eastern Cape, two
houses in Limpopo and Western Cape recorded waiving the pre-emptive right
in 275 cases, thus allowing for the sale of the house, but only after the
beneficiary had occupied the property for more than two years.
(iii) 2013-14: 2852 houses made up of 2Â 697 houses in Eastern Cape, one
house in Limpopo, and Western Cape recorded waiving the pre-emptive right
in 154 cases, thus allowing for the sale of the house, but only after the
beneficiary had occupied the property for more than two years.
(b) The number of subsidised houses
(i) sold unlawfully:
2011-12: No unlawful sales were reported by Provincial departments of
human settlements.
2012-13: Eastern Cape provincial department reported that 112 houses
were sold illegally. Limpopo provincial department reported that two
houses were sold unlawfully, and that the matter was submitted to the
Risk and Security Unit for investigation.
2013-14: Eastern Cape provincial department reported that 2 697 houses
were sold illegally. Limpopo provincial department reported that one
house was sold unlawfully.
(ii) sold back to the department:
2011-12: No sales of houses to the department were reported.
2012-13: No sales of houses to the department were reported.
2013-14: No sales of houses to the department were reported.
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