The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, and Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete, will convene a roundtable discussion with Non-Governmental Organisations, Community Based Organisations, and Civil Society Organisations on the Draft White Paper on Human Settlements.

The Draft White Paper seeks to repeal the Housing Act of 1997 by strengthening the Department of Human Settlements’ approach in responding to the housing needs of the people. This entails a government approach through tailor-made subsidy instruments to provide adequate housing for the qualifying beneficiaries. It makes several policy proposals which include promoting and encouraging home ownership by introducing transitional housing, through a public-private partnership arrangement (rent-to-buy installment sales) and prioritizing the registration of land for human settlements in rural areas to provide security of tenure.

The draft policy is accessible here https://bit.ly/3vwvOF9 following its publishing for public comments in December 2023. Members of the public are encouraged to make their written inputs on the Draft White Paper ahead of the extended deadline on 28 February 2024.

Members of the media are invited to the round-table discussion as follows:

Date: Monday, 12 February 2024 Time: 09h00 Venue: City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Banqueting Hall. NB: There will be opportunities for media engagements

For media enquiries and confirmations, contact: Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Settlements on 064 7548426 / Hlengiwe.Nhlabathi@dhs.gov.za or Nozipho Zulu, Head of Communications on 078 457 9376 / Nozipho.Zulu@dhs.gov.za Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Govan Mbeki House 240 Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001