Dept to Review Housing Delivery Amid Governance Issues and Fraud Concerns

Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, expressed concerns about the instability in leadership and governance affecting the effectiveness of human settlements delivery.

The Department of Human Settlements has initiated a comprehensive review of housing delivery across all metropolitan municipalities in South Africa, focusing on performance issues and governance challenges. Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, expressed concerns about the instability in leadership and governance affecting the effectiveness of human settlements delivery.

Kubayi revealed that the department is meeting with metropolitan municipalities to assess their performance and identify necessary interventions to enhance delivery. The first engagement was held with Gauteng's metros, where it was noted that while some improvements were observed, the City of Ekurhuleni requires additional support.

“The City of Ekurhuleni will be afforded a similar intervention to ensure acceleration of service delivery and address the needs of its residents,” Kubayi said. The department previously intervened in Nelson Mandela Bay by establishing a War Room to bolster technical capacity, resulting in significant improvements. A similar approach is planned for Ekurhuleni.

Future engagements will include eThekwini, Mangaung, Buffalo City, and the City of Cape Town, with interventions tailored to each metro’s specific needs, according to Kubayi.

In addition to these efforts, the department is considering the appointment of a team of legal experts to address issues related to housing subsidies under the Breaking New Ground (BNG) program. Concerns have been raised about the misallocation of subsidies, with reports of beneficiary lists being manipulated and illegal syndicates selling housing units to non-deserving individuals.

Kubayi highlighted that some BNG houses were sold within eight years in violation of Section 10A of the Housing Act, and there are cases of foreign nationals occupying units without clear justification. The proposed team of experts will conduct a thorough forensic investigation, audit, and data analysis to clarify ownership and occupancy issues and initiate legal action where necessary.

“The team is expected to provide a report that will offer clarity on house ownership, occupants, and, where appropriate, take legal steps to implement corrective measures,” Kubayi added.