According to the committee, a lot of women, people with disabilities, the elderly and many other vulnerable groups are still finding it difficult to benefit from the housing programme, even though they qualify. 

The committee urged the department to ensure that there is enough subsidy quantum to ensure that developers start and complete departmental projects in time. The portfolio committee also called on developers to buy and use local material as it will be more cost-effective for them and will also grow the provincial economy.

Meanwhile the Chairperson of this committee, Aaron Motswana, requested the North West Human Settlements Department to enforce consequence management on non-performing developers. This comes after the portfolio committee's recent visit to Kopela Village in the Tswaing Local Municipality.

“Please ensure that you include a penalty clause for those developers, and ensure that there are consequence management. You need to intensify monitoring of your projects and ensure that your developers start and complete projects within the stipulated period. Our people can’t wait for houses for years, while it’s possible to deliver over a short period of time,” said Motswana.

ALSO READ: NW housing backlog in spotlight

OFM News previously reported that the former Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, had conceded that the North West province is still grappling with housing challenges and mushrooming of informal settlements with specific mention of the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. 

Sisulu had pledged to have 1 800 units across 13 villages delivered in the province during the 2021/22 financial year.

OFM News