Durban — The parliamentary portfolio committee on human settlements has recently expressed grave concern over the unacceptable delays in activating the Emergency Housing Response Fund in KwaZulu-Natal, leaving vulnerable communities exposed to the elements.
This critique emerged after the committee concluded the first day of its week-long oversight visit to the province, during which they received presentations from the national and provincial Departments of Human Settlements and the City of uMhlathuze.
Led by committee chairperson Nocks Seabi, the group did not mince words.
“It is patently unacceptable that the current emergency housing regime appears to be ineffective and inflexible to the needs on the ground,” Seabi remarked.
“The nature of a disaster requires speed and flexibility to ensure that people are protected, but the fund's administration at the national level exposes it to inefficiencies and bottlenecks that have a direct negative impact on the lives of the people.”
The distressing reality is underlined by reports that beneficiary verifications and assessments of damaged houses have been dragging on for 10 to 12 months or longer. Particularly concerning is the situation in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, where residents affected by a storm in June 2023 are only now undergoing assessments by the National Home Builders Registration Council, impacting approximately 1 821 beneficiaries. Similarly, assessments for housing damaged by strong winds in the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality in September 2023 are now just beginning.
The committee urged the department to develop a functional mechanism to ensure that the fund is responsive to the needs of people affected by disasters, as the current scheme is unworkable.
“As we enter the rainy season in the country, we shudder to think what will happen in cases of disaster. Speed and flexibility should be at the centre of the response, and currently, neither is visible,” Seabi added.
However, the committee was disappointed by the responses it received from the National Department of Human Settlements on the many questions raised about the provision of houses in KZN.
“Oversight is an important pillar of service delivery, and it assists the department to reflect on shortcomings. It is not purely a fault-finding exercise and the inability of the department to be frank with the committee is disconcerting. We have instructed the department to improve presentations to the committee to ensure effective oversight,” Seabi informed.
Further complicating the situation, the committee noted the negative impact of business forums that insist on receiving 30% of the project value, causing significant delays and often halting vital housing projects entirely.
“This challenge requires a harsh and collective response from law enforcement agencies in the country, as it is nothing short of lawlessness. It deprives communities of the little hope of receiving quality houses and only serves the selfish needs of a few,” Seabi said.
The committee said there’s seemingly a persistent challenge with coordination between different spheres of government, with the inability of municipalities to provide bulk infrastructure to enable the completion of projects timeously. The committee has maintained its view that there must be better coordination and planning between spheres of government to ensure that the development of infrastructure is holistic and better coordinated, as proposed by the District Development Model.
Although the committee noted the impact of budget cuts on project implementation, it believes coordination and enhanced project management will eradicate delays and financial overruns.
Meanwhile, the committee visited the Empangeni Integrated Residential Development Programme (IRDP) Phase 2, which was set to accelerate and sustain the delivery of housing on the KZN North Coast.
The committee was disappointed with the progress of the project as it was informed that due to financial constraints, the contractor could only build three houses per month.
Additionally, the quality of builds was questioned, as the committee was informed that some structures do not comply with National Home Builders Registration Council standards.
“Compliance with building standards is sacrosanct, as it will ensure the safety of the people who will stay in those houses. While the provincial department has assured the committee that it is already reviewing its budget to ensure acceleration of construction, the committee highlighted that compliance should be a primary concern,” Seabi said.
The committee also visited the Dumisani Makhaye Village Phase 6 and 8 IRDP and was impressed by the quality of workmanship and the available budget to complete the project. Despite this, the committee urged project delivery be standardised to ensure that all projects are delivered timeously and with the same quality of workmanship.
On Wednesday the committee visited project sites in the Maphumulo Local Municipality and KwaDukuza Local Municipality.
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