Mpumalanga’s new MEC for Human Settlements, Speedy Mashilo, is struggling to deliver housing units and closing the housing backlog in the province. Consequently, the DA is demanding a detailed turnaround plan.
In 2016, Violet Siwela, former MEC of Human Settlements, stated that the housing backlog for the province stood at 147 000 in response to oral questions posed by the DA. In 2018, the National Housing Needs Register reflected that the housing backlog for Mpumalanga stood at 225 023. Today (financial year 2020/2021) under the new MEC, Speedy Mashilo, the housing backlog has increased to over 250 000. The backlog appears to be increasing instead of being decreased.
The Department also consistently fails to allocate completed housing units to deserving beneficiaries. Currently, more than 100 housing units in Tekwane South, outside Mbombela, which were completed in 2019 are standing vacant and being vandalised. Beneficiaries were not even told why they are not being allocated houses.
It is also extremely concerning to the DA that the recent Report of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements for 2020/2021, noted that Mashilo’s department had spent 163% of its budget on housing development in the third quarter, yet only met 47% of their housing targets.
Considering that there are thousands of residents who are still waiting to have a roof over their heads in this province, the DA condemns the inability of this Department to reach housing delivery targets which have been set.
Below are municipalities with the highest housing backlog:
- Emalahleni- 45 180
- City of Mbombela- 30 326
- Bushbuckridge- 25 394
- Msukaligwa- 19 661
- Steve Tshwete- 19 574
On the 15th of December 2020, Stats SA released the General Household Survey for 2019. This survey further revealed that 7.3% of households in this province lived in informal dwellings and with a population of 4.6 million, this would roughly translate to 335 800 households.
Given the above statistics, it is clear that the current roll out of government funded houses by the Department is too slow and incapable of catering for the current need for housing.
The DA will write to MEC Mashilo asking him to present a plan on how he is going to reduce the housing backlog in the province and deliver much needed housing especially to the elderly, child headed households and people with disabilities in this province.
We will also continue holding the executive to account and to ensure that residents of Mpumalanga receive the quality basic service and dignified human settlements they deserve.