Mr G Sharpley, the Head of Department (HOD): Human Settlements and his senior officials reported on progress on the recommendations as highlighted in the 2009 oversight report as follows: * The provincial department worked closely with municipalities to ensure compliance with electricity connections and access to water and sanitation in all housing developments. In rural housing projects, a rainwater tank for water harvesting and Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) were provided. In urban housing developments, the department was challenged by the lack of infrastructure to which each should link internal services. He further confirmed challenges affecting human settlements projects in Malitswai and Ikhwezi local municipalities, which included blocked projects, as well as alleged irregularities around the project management and inappropriate utilisation of state subsidy houses. * The provincial department was also supporting 39 municipalities in the development of Human Settlements chapters of nntegrated development plans which emphasized alignment of the Human Settlements Development Grant with municipal infrastructure plans. In 2011/12, the Housing Needs Register was introduced. It was also guiding municipalities in the establishment of housing allocation committees. * The provincial department was involved in the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Presidential Initiative where intergovernmental and intra-governmental planning principles were a practical test and the provincial department formed part of the steering committee. The project was set to deliver 17 450 units, (650 low-cost housing and the rest was earmarked for gap market opportunities). The province had committed R141 million for the project. An amount of R86 million was allocated for the planning phase for 2011/12 and R41 million had already been released to address bulk infrastructure challenges. * The provincial department was implementing the national minimum norms and standards for a 40 m house. Tender specifications were developed along pre-determined norms and standards. Project inspections sought to enforce compliance with the set norms and standards. * As part of its comprehensive contract management strategy, the provincial department was engaging municipalities on the implications of the service delivery agreements that the province entered into with municipalities that were appointed as developers of housing programmes and projects. This included institutionalising performance reporting by municipalities. The USDG-benefiting municipalities were not ready to embrace the grant implementation and the province was in the process of finalising the intergovernmental relations protocol. * All projects (13 000 units) for 2011/12 were enrolled with the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC). However, the province reported that 53 000 of the previously constructed units had been assessed. A decision was taken not to conduct any assessment of units less than 28 m, but to demolish them. Furthermore, the NHBRC would not be part of the implementation of rectification as it could not be a regulatory body and an implementing agent (referee and player). * In her response to the management of the beneficiary list, the MEC indicated that the provincial standing committee proposed that the beneficiary list should be gazetted to prevent irregularities and maladministration by the municipalities. The province would consider the matter and table it for discussion in the national workshop which would be held in February 2012. * The Cala and Elliot projects which were allocated to emerging contractors were being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit. In Sundays River, the province was in the process of unblocking five blocked projects. An amount of R21 million had been allocated and four contractors were on site. * The province had strengthened its monitoring and evaluation unit to verify whether houses were completed in line with the required norms and standards and the MEC had launched a "Know Your Project" campaign.