Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, the ID welcomes the change in the term from "Housing Ministry" to that of "Human Settlements". As the Minister has indicated, the ID believes that we must build communities and not just houses.
It has become a national trend that houses are rapidly deteriorating due to poor workmanship: one packet of cement to one lorry of sand. The houses in Samora Machel, Phillipi, are falling apart as we speak due to weak infrastructure plans. Both in Phillipi and Macassar, during the winter months, residents experience rivers running through their houses as a result of heavy rains. We need to restore the dignity of our people.
The government's housing policy is still too focused on quantity instead of the quality of housing. It is high time the government began to get serious about bridging the divides and created communities where rich and poor can live side by side. We need to build sustainable housing, which is energy- efficient. Emphasis must be on integrated human settlements.
These settlements must include infrastructure such as roads, transport, electricity, water, refuse removal, community facilities, schools, shops and recreational areas. The N2 Gateway displays the contrast, where pavements along the highway are being used to play soccer. The Delft housing development scheme is also a total contrast of what I have mentioned.
During the Department of Arts and Culture budget debate and public hearings on this Budget Vote, it became apparent that the Rural Housing Loan Fund, which claims to be a national wholesale constitution, has failed the rural communities dismally in terms of its disbursements and geographic allocations. The fund gave zero percent of its total national loan assistance budget to the Northern Cape, 3% to the Free State, 6% to Limpopo and 8% to the Eastern Cape.