Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, the uniqueness of your character and commitment will not only bring realisation to Madiba's dream that there must be homes for all, but I also know that your honour is derived from fighting for your people. Over 300 years of colonial destructiveness cannot be restored in 19 years. The Group Areas Act put our people into the gutters.
The fact is that more people today have access to homes than before 1994. The hon Minister has originally started with 12m and went on to 18m, 20m, 25m, 30m and now he is at 40m houses. [Applause.] In view of this, we note that fewer units have been delivered and that the moving targets of urbanisation were another destabilising factor impacting on the backlog. The quality choice that the Minister took was the correct one.
Minister, you have a mammoth task to build an integrated society and although nothing much can be done with a free house, yet you strive and thrive to reach out to as many people as possible. Today we have thousands of National Home Builders Registration Council, NHBRC inspectors at various levels before one house can be paid, and we note that this is perhaps why things have slowed down in terms of the national output targets. The Minority Front, MF's, concern is whether we have put enough systems in place to persuade Treasury to allocate more money to housing.
Our hon President said that "the transfer of homes must be an asset from one generation to another". Hon Minister, we have to expedite the various grants and we must provide systems for flood victims. Like the Western Cape receiving an atmospheric allowance, KZN's topography pushes the cost up and likewise there should be an allowance.
The old housing list was problematic. Toay it is not as if there is no housing list, but it is dealt with differently. We have a social compact study and all stakeholders who serve on the steering committee draw up the list. Ravi Pillay, an MEC in KwaZulu-Natal, publicly said:
Once the beneficiary list is finalised, it must be tabled at a full council meeting and put on the municipal notice board for objections.
Clearly, this is a good model which will improve the checks and balances in the system. We must ensure that we have the necessary capacity controls in place to deal with the grants directed to municipalities. Regarding the consolidation bill in the eThekwini Municipality, it is fundamentally unfair for the poor to have their lights cut off. This nullifies government's policy on indigent people.
Hon Minister, under your watchful eye, the MF lauds your efforts for dealing decisively with the quality issue, tight monitoring and putting controls in place. We also thank the chairperson and the director-general for their impeccable leadership. Progressively marching forward, serving all, all the time, all the way and striving to build a better life for all, let's not be distracted by those who blow hot air. [Applause.] The MF will support the Budget Vote. [Applause.]