Minister for Human Settlements Nomaindiya Mfeketo this morning met with the remaining members of the Housing Development Agency (HDA) Board and staff to introduce Nosipho Siwisa Damasane who has been appointed administrator of the entity.

This follows yesterday’s decision to put the HDA under administration to ensure that its governance and financial management, administration and operations continues until the Board of the HDA has been appointed by the Minister in terms of the HDA Act.

More importantly the Minister wants to strengthen the services provided by the HDA to address the critical needs of our communities.

The HDA was established in terms of the HDA Act 28 of 2008 with the specific objective to act as a state organ to facilitate and implement housing and human settlements programmes and projects.

Despite technical support from the National Department of Human Settlements and grant transfers from the various Provinces and Municipalities, the HDA continued to experience inability to translate its mandate, strategic and performance plans into concrete outputs and outcomes.

The result has been poor performance in relation to the achievement of targets and outputs in the Catalytic Projects Programme, the National Upgrading Support Programme, Public Sector Land and Property Development Programme and the Human Settlements Programme Interventions in Distressed Mining Towns.

Things came to the head last week when the Board of the Institution decided to suspend the Chief Executive Officer and three members of the Executive Committee pending an a forensic investigation. The allegations being investigated are considered to be serious.

Minister Mfeketo told staff and the remaining members of the Board she took the decision she took in the best interest of the HDA, the human settlements sector and the people of South Africa who looked at the institution to provide them with sustainable human settlements.

“I appeal to staff to support the work of Ms Damasane in making sure that the institution is turned around in the shortest possible time. We cannot afford to have the HDA destroyed because a lot of people are looking up to the HDA for services,” she said.

Minister Mfeketo appealed to staff to come forward with any information that might assist in getting to the bottom of the challenges faced by the institution.

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

For more information please contact Xolani Xundu on 083 788 5747