In an effort to rapidly respond to the service delivery needs, the Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi, has called for the urgent identification and quantification of all unfinished and blocked projects across the country.

“We need to quantify all unfinished housing projects and reprioritize them. The recent visits to provinces have so far made it clear to me that we need to act with much urgency to address the housing needs in our communities.

“We are rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty to make sure that all spheres of government work together to speed up service delivery, using the limited resources available at our disposal. We have no choice but to do and achieve more with less; every cent counts,” said Minister Kubayi.

Once the audit of the blocked and unfinished projects has been concluded, Minister Kubayi working together with the affected MECs intends to put plans in place to ensure that those projects are concluded and units are handed over to the qualifying beneficiaries.

Over the past few weeks, Minister Kubayi has been visiting provinces to assess the delivery of houses and has come across projects which have been blocked, delayed and not completed on time. This has led to indigents being denied an opportunity of a decent shelter.


The Minister highlighted that those contracted to build houses have a duty to deliver good quality, on time and within the allocated budget.

This is the forth-leg of her provincial visits after KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. On her first day in Mangaung in the Free State, Minister Kubayi received reports on human settlements projects being undertaken in the province to provide decent shelter to the qualifying beneficiaries.


Minister Kubayi also visited a project at Caleb Motshabi where water and sanitation infrastructure is being rolled out to pave the way for the establishments of a formal settlement. As part of her visit, she also handed over houses and title deeds to beneficiaries.


South Africa has about 3605 informal settlements; 161 of these are from the Free State Province and 47 in Mangaung Metro.

The Department of Human Settlements has set aside R10 billion over the next three years for the incremental upgrading of informal settlements.


Minister Kubayi was joined by the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Pam Tshwete, Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, MEC of Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements, Motshidise Koloi and Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Mxolisi Siyonzama.



Enquiries: Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, Spokesperson to the Minister on 064 754 8426 or Hlengiwe.nhlabathi@dhs.gov.za OR Motale Sebego, Spokesperson to the MEC on 068 097 0634.



Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Govan Mbeki House

240 Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001.