Chairperson, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members, distinguished guests, it is of paramount importance to note that post-1994 in South Africa, adequate shelter and services have become a basic right. This places an obligation on government to ensure their attainment by all, beginning with direct assistance to the least disadvantaged through guided programmes.
The ANC-led government further reaffirmed the provision of adequate housing as a fundamental requirement for total wellbeing and quality of life. During the transition period, a new housing policy was adopted, with complementary policies formulated for urban and rural development, as well as the upgrading of informal settlements in order to meet the government's constitutional responsibility. Human settlements have been amongst the key sectors that played a leading role in the government's effort aimed at the alleviation of asset poverty.
Breaking New Ground, a comprehensive plan for the development of sustainable human settlements that was approved in 2004 under the leadership of hon Lindiwe Sisulu, is being implemented through the informal settlement upgrading programme that provides for the phased, area-based development of services and housing. It includes funding for social and economic amenities, as well as for community participation and project management as an integral part, with at least one pilot project in each province. In addition, the plan aims to change spatial settlement patterns by building multicultural communities in a nonracial society.
With the N2 Gateway project in Cape Town, the biggest housing project ever undertaken, government is piloting the integration of communities of different income groups, building human settlements with basic social and economic amenities, and pursuing a new way of intergovernmental relations. The project will improve the living conditions of approximately 103 000 households in informal settlements.
Eradication or upgrading of informal settlements by 2015 is prime, in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. The project will see the development of about 30 000 dignified dwellings at sites along a 30 km stretch on the N2.
The plan's strategic focus includes ensuring delivery of housing in sustainable and habitable settlements. Here are a couple of the plan's strategic priorities: one, to accelerate housing delivery; two, to improve the quality of housing products and environments to ensure asset creation; and three, to ensure a single efficient formal housing market.
The key focus areas are: one, to use housing as a major job creation tool; two, leveraging growth in the economy; and three, combating crime and promoting social cohesion.
There have been quite a number of policies developed and legislation enacted in the housing sector over the past financial years. These include the Social Housing Act of 2008, to regulate the social housing industry. In this regard, the legislation ensures affordable rural housing for households that cannot access rental housing on the open market.
The Housing Development Agency Act of 2008, in response to the unavailability of suitable and well-located land for housing development, established the Housing Development Agency, HDA, to acquire state-owned or private land or property for the purpose of housing development. We are happy today to report that the HDA is up and running.
Land parcels are being acquired in strategic areas. The HDA pipeline and flagship projects have been identified and programmes have been costed.
Observations have been made on the following. On programmes one and two, there has been a significant increase in allocations as a result of the new mandate, restructuring and reorganisation. In programme two, there is also significant growth compared to previous allocations. In programme four, provinces are a dominant factor in the whole budget.
Amongst other things, the 2009-10 budget covers the following: an operational capital budget to supplement provincial capacity; the rectification programme of RDP stock from 1994 to 2002; and backyard dwellers - for instance, in Gauteng we have an allocation of 500 units to accommodate backyard dwellers in this financial year. In Cape Town we are using a threshold of 30% of backyard dwellers. We need to have a national policy on this matter, because it seems as if there are no norms and standards that are being implemented in all the provinces. The budget also covers rural housing and farm worker assistance, and housing assistance to households affected by the death of guardians. We welcome the finalisation of the rural housing subsidy voucher scheme. Substantial progress has been made since 1994 in improving the lives of many poor South Africans and progress has continued over the past five years.
Over the centuries, African communities have used letsema as a way of tackling problems or of lending a hand to each other collectively. We must continue with the efforts aimed at the retention of this progressive tradition, which gives practical expression to the aspirations of human solidarity. Therefore, Parliament fully supports the programmes of the People's Housing Process. Although remarkable progress has been achieved, quite a number of shortcomings have also been identified.
The quality of service in many respects still leaves much to be desired. Coupled with architectural challenges, the quality of service the public receives needs much improvement in many areas and should be informed by a stronger ethos of public service. There is very limited enrolment of housing units by the National Home Builders Registration Council.
Prominent among implementation challenges are institutional problems underlining the incapacity by certain provinces to spend available resources and achieve quality outcomes, resulting in roll-overs and redistribution to other provinces. The national government should take responsibility for ensuring that a mandate is assigned in terms of capacity to implement. Poverty remains a major challenge, even though there is a slight decline. Unemployment, population growth and rapid increase in the number of households will sustain a high demand for basic services, including housing provision. Therefore, the current intervention by the President, through the state of the nation address and the manifesto, will provide lasting solutions, including programmes that strengthen human capabilities and promote self-sufficiency.
A significant number of young people continue to have difficulty in accessing employment. Participation by young people in the National Youth Service programme will assist in breaking the cycle of poverty and improve their human capabilities, through empowerment in relation to housing development, thereby expanding their chances of entering the labour market.
The commitment demonstrated by the youth at Mlalazi will never be forgotten, where young people, as part of the YouthBuild programme, built houses for elderly people, as well as the role played by Gauteng in the empowerment of the youth.
Siliqhwabela izandla inyathelo elithe lathatyathwa lisebe ngokuqinisa umthetho kwicala lokuhlola nokuvavanya. Kuza kukhe kubekho umtyhi, ukuze bahlabe bekhangele nabantu abasengela urhulumente phantsi.
Omnye umba otshisa ibunzi esinqwenela ukuba sikhe siwuhlalele phantsi siwuhle amahlongwane, ngulo wamathuba abantu basemzini okufumana izibonelelo ezifana nenkxaso ngezindlu zikarhulumente. Kufuneka sikhe sikhangele ukuba lingakhona kusini na iyeza esingaphuma nalo ukuze ivalwe nya le ngxoxo. Ngelishwa, akukho nalizwe esingaya kufunda iinkqubo zalo ngokubhekisele kulo mba, kuba nguMzantsi Afrika kuphela onoMgaqo-siseko ohlonipha amalungelo abantu bonke ngokulinganayo. Ngoku kufuneka sixhentse sizombelela. [Kwahlekwa.]
Malunga nomba wokonyuka kwamaxabiso ezixhobo zokwakha izindlu zabangathathi ntweni, siphakamisa ukuthi nawo masiwubambe upholele ezandleni, sibone ukuba asingekhe siphume neqhinga lokuwusombulula kusini na. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[We commend the initiative taken by the Department of Human Settlements with regard to monitoring and evaluation. At least there will be relief; and the people who are corrupting the government will have to be careful.
Another burning issue that we need to carefully look at is the issue of foreign nationals who are benefiting from government resources such as housing. We need to come up with a solution to nip this problem in the bud.
Unfortunately there is no other country we can consult that has the same policies relating to this matter, as South Africa is the only country that has a Constitution focused on respecting the rights of all people equally. Now we have to do it for ourselves without help from anyone. [Laughter.]
We also need to focus on the escalating prices of building materials of low- cost houses, and I propose that we come up with a solution to control that.]
On the issue of backyard dwellers, we suggest that there should be a standard norm and policy to address this matter.
The committee is also concerned about the blocked projects and the challenge of the long waiting lists. There is also a challenge regarding the credibility of the integrated development plans which informed our strategy. It seems as if they are produced as a matter of compliance, not as a blueprint to articulate a multiyear strategy for development.
Hon Minister Sexwale and Deputy Minister Kota, we congratulate you on your new deployment and wish you well in all future endeavours. It is a reality that progress begins with the belief that what is necessary is possible, and progress is impossible without change. We therefore assure you of the committee's full support. The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.]