Hon Chairperson ...
... ngiyavumelana noBab, uDhlamini, ukuthi masiwakhe kabusha amahostela. [... I concur with Mr Dhlamini, we need to rebuild the hostels.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, it is humbling to participate in this Budget Vote 26 of the Department of Housing, mindful of the fact that the department has been renamed "the Department of Human Settlements". Human settlement is not just about the provision of housing, hon Minister, since such an approach would leave the community in the same economic and social situation as before. An integrated approach to the concept of human settlements means that respective Ministries have to work together when it comes to the development of human settlements and improving the quality of life of all our people.
This concept approaches the family and the community in which they live as an integral unit with social and economic needs in the area in which they stay, so that socioeconomic problems are reduced. This approach maximises another theory and concept driven by the ANC-led government, that of building social capital. Human settlement is about building social cohesion and harmonising communities whilst recognising their own individual cultures, values and needs.
The concept of human settlements seeks to ensure that communities are located ecologically and geographically in areas which are environmentally safe, well above water lines, not on ground that has toxic hazards and well within easy commuter distance from work opportunities.
Ngqongqoshe, uyayazi impilo yabantu baseNkangala; bavuka ekuseni ngovivi, bahambe baye emsebenzini. Siyazi ukuthi iningi imali abayikhokhayo uma beya noma bebuya emsebenzini. Siyathemba-ke, ukuthi njengoba uthatha izintambo uyosisiza kakhulu futhi uxazulule izinkinga zabantu bakithi.
Kuningi okuhle esesikwenzile kusekuningi nokufanele sikwenze. Sethemba ukuthi uNgqongqoshe ophethe uyosisiza kakhulu ukuba amagxathi azame ukunyukela phambili. Siyalwazi usizi lwabantu bakithi, siyakwazi konke abakhala ngako; kufanele- ke sikwenze ngendlela abacela ukuba sikwenze ngayo. Sonke-ke sibambisene nabantu bakithi, siyokwenza ngcono izimpilo zabo bonke. Kungumsebenzi onzima-ke lo obhekene nawo Ngqongqoshe noMnyango wonke - umsebenzi wokwakhela abantu bakithi izindlu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Minister, you know the lifestyle of the people of Nkangala - they wake up at dawn to go to work. And we know that they spend a lot of money to get to and from work. We therefore hope that, as you take the reins of this department, you will be of great help in solving our people's problems.
There is so much good that has been done but there is still much to be done. We hope that the Minister in charge will help us by attempting to speed up the process. We know our people's sorrows and we also know all their concerns; we are then supposed to do the things they ask us to do. We are all working together with our people and we will make everybody's lives better. This, then, is a tough task that you and the whole department are facing, hon Minister - the task of providing our people with houses.]