PRESS STATEMENT                                                                    13 JULY 2008

EASTERN CAPE TASK TEAM DEALING WITH HOUSING BLOCKAGES

THE Eastern Cape Intervention Task Team this week concluded its work of identifying challenges that have been hampering housing delivery in the province. This process included gathering information on housing projects currently under way, progress made in their delivery, organizational issues facing the Eastern Cape Department of Housing, the challenges that have hampered the department’s housing delivery programme and financial management issues.

The work of gathering this information started soon after the Cabinet decision on the 16^th of April 2008 to deploy the team because of constraints in the housing delivery programme.

The deployment of the team is in terms of Section 100 (1) (a) of the Constitution which provides for the national Minister of Housing to issue “a directive to the provincial executive, describing the extent of the failure to fulfil its obligations and stating any steps required to meet its obligations.”

The Eastern Cape Intervention Task Team is composed of officials from the National Department of Housing, the Eastern Cape Department of Housing and officials from various provinces and municipalities. The Task Team, which operates as a single team meets every week to plan and review progress made.

This week, the Task Team was joined by the Eastern Cape MEC for Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs Toko Xasa. The meeting focused on project implementation. A total of 57 flagship projects that will form an entry point in the intervention have been identified across the province. These projects have a potential to yield 36 820 housing units. What is encouraging is that some of these projects are in areas where implementation is possible and is going to be rolled out in the short-term.

However, some of these are in areas where there is no bulk infrastructure and the challenge faced by the Task Team is to make sure that these blockages are unlocked to ensure that houses are delivered to the people of the Eastern Cape.

The Task Team also took a decision to urgently address constraints associated with the slow payment of contractors. A register of those contractors who claim not to have been paid for work done has been compiled and investigations are under way to ensure that where payments are due, these are paid out without delay.

Another challenge is to make sure that there is technical capacity for project planning and implementation. The Task Team has thus identified the skills that are required in the immediate future to help get project implementation off the ground. These skills are in engineering, town planning and project management. Some of these skills will be acquired from public entities and from the private sector.

The Eastern Cape Department of Housing has also commenced with the process of recruiting people for critical positions within the department.

ISSUED BY THE EASTERN CAPE INTERVENTION TASK TEAM

For more information please call Xolani Xundu at 082 885 3378 OR Phumlani Mdolomba 082 554 2195