KWAZULU NATAL HOUSING  LAUNCHES THE SECOND HOUSING CONSUMER AWARENESS PROGRAMME

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial housing department in conjuction with the Imbabazane Municipality will on Saturday, 28 February 2004 launch the Housing Consumer Awareness programme at Imbabazane Multi Purpose Community Centre (MPCC), in KwaZulu-Natal.

The programme is one of the requirements by the Housing Act, 1997(Act 107 1997) for provincial governments to support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to exercise their powers and perform their duties in respect of housing development.  The awareness programme is the second one to be launched in the province and it aims to ensure that all South Africans are suitably exposed to homeownership concepts in the medium to long term.  It also addresses those people who intend to rent or are renting accommodation.

The Housing Act further requires National, Provincial and Local spheres of government to promote consumer awareness / education and consumer protection in respect of housing development.  Arising out of the Housing Act, the Imbabazane Municipality was identified as a pilot project to promote Housing Consumer Awareness and Education.

To this end the department of housing has committed itself to empowering municipalities by assisting and encouraging them to introduce housing components in the municipal structures, especially at those newly established municipalities which do not possess expertise, capacity and funding. 

The KwaZulu-Natal province is very fortunate to receive the grant funding in the sum of over R3 million from the Flemish government (a province of Belgium) to assist the targeted municipalities with implementation of housing components within their structure.

The launch will be held as follows:

Date:  Saturday, 28 February 2004
Time:  09H30
Venue Imbabazane Multi Purpose Community Centre (MPCC)

For Media Inquiries please contact:

Thabang Chiloane
Chief Director Communication Services: Cell: 083 488 2621