Madam Chairperson, the DA believes that the Housing Budget to date has not been spent efficiently, effectively and economically. That should usually be reason enough not to support the Budget Vote. However, the DA recognises and acknowledges that a great many of our citizens, for various reasons, mostly not of their own making, are unable to provide basic shelter for themselves or their families.
While we have doubts regarding the claim by the department that they have delivered 2,4 million houses to date, due to the many blocked and incomplete projects identified, we nevertheless recognise that without state support the legitimate families who have benefited would otherwise still be living on the streets.
We also identify with the Minister's vision of moving away from houses in the veld to the creation of sustainable communities. We further take note of the Minister's stated intention to learn from her department's mistakes, notably with regard to the N2 Gateway pilot project, the acknowledgement of the department's internal maladministration, the Presidential proclamation of the Special Investigating Unit to combat widespread corruption within the housing sector and the Minister's commitment to deal with officials who have unfairly benefited from the housing subsidy scheme.
The DA therefore supports the Housing Budget and pledges to support and criticise the department where necessary in order to ensure the efficient, effective and economical delivery of a sustainable product to the rightful beneficiaries in this country. I thank you, Chairperson.