Boksburg: The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu and Provincial MECs of Human Settlements today met with more than 500 contractors and developers to discuss how to immediately resolve and pay all due and payable invoices that are outstanding for than 30 days as required by law and a Cabinet decision.

Minister Sisulu convened the urgent meeting following a National analysis of all unpaid projects and invoices as reflected in the payment systems which found that more than R1 billion has not been paid to contractors, by the Provinces in respect of invoices submitted by contractors for payment.

“As Government we cannot sit with millions worth of work done by mainly black small contractors in the housing sector and not paid for, I want those undisputed invoices to be settled with seven days by Provinces and Municipalities”, said Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu told Human Settlements Consultative Conference that she will be meeting the Minister of Finance, Mr. Pravin Gordhan to request relevant measures in order to ensure that the National Department is able to facilitate payment of backlogs, due and payable to contractors within seven days.

“The legislation stipulates that anybody or company that does business with government should be paid within 30 days “added Minister Sisulu.

The Minister also indicated that her Department will after, the State of the Nation Address establish Ombudsman Office to deal with issues of conflicts between the contractors, Provinces and Municipalities. “With the Ombuds Office, we are setting up a structure that will mediate, work with all stakeholders to resolve dispute and cut through red tape for the best interests of the human settlements sector as a whole”, said Sisulu.

“Contractors are an integral part of human settlements delivery and we are committed to solving the payment challenges faced by the sector in order to sustain healthy business environment. Contractors help us to restore the dignity our people and we have to provide an environment that assist them to perform at their best” added Minister Sisulu.

“I want to build a two way communication channel with you, build quality BNG houses, employ Youth Brigades, support small contractors and military veterans. On my part I will ensure all your challenges are resolved including payment being made on time and unblocking all red tapes”, concluded Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu and MECs listened to complaints and suggestions on how systems can be improved and how non-payments are leading to retrenchments and collapse of small companies and promised to give feedback on all issues raised within 90 days.

Issued by Ministry of Human Settlements
Enquiries: Ndivhuwo Mabaya on 0836457838

Mahikeng - The North West High Court on Friday evening, issued out an interim eviction order against all illegal occupants of the houses in Marikana. This is after the Rustenburg local municipality filed for an urgent application for an eviction order against any other persons who has illegally occupied the Breaking New Ground housing units in Marikana Extension 2.

Through the interim order, these illegal occupants will :

• be interdicted and/or restrained from occupying any or all of the incomplete houses being constructed;
• be interdicted and or restrained from gaining access and or on the property upon which incomplete houses are being constructed;
• Any other person who supports the illegal occupants and who has taken unlawful occupation of incomplete houses at Marikana Extention 2 be evicted;

Departmental spokesperson, Ben Bole said the police have now been authorised and directed to take all necessary and reasonable steps to implement the above (orders) . In the meantime, they will have to provide their information, i.e. names, home address and contact details to the Sheriff be approached.

Issued by Department of Local Government and Human Settlements
Enquiries: Ben Bole (Departmental Spokesperson)
Cell: 071 566 1399, email: msbole@nwpg.gov.za

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has called on all Municipalities and Provinces to speedily finalise outstanding payments to contractors involved in various human settlements projects around the country.

Many contractors have now been paid since the Minister and the Department of Human Settlements undertook serious measure to ensure that contractors were paid on time and within the stipulated 30-day period. This is aimed at ensuring that contractors are able to meet their contractual obligations and assist the Department in speeding up the creation of housing opportunities in the country.

Many Municipalities and Provinces have also indicated that they have started processing outstanding payments for contractors while some said they were about to conclude verification processes to ensure that payments are made to companies that have rendered legitimate and satisfactory services to the Department.

The Minister and senior management at the Department of Human Settlements resolved that all human settlements departments and entities should comply with the stipulations that commit Government to adhere to the payment of contractors within 30 days. This is consistent with the directives of Cabinet and the regulations of the Public Finance Management Act.

It is also in line with the directives of MinMec, which is the regular meeting of the Minister, all MECs for Human Settlements as well as the Heads of their provincial departments.

To ensure compliance, the Department of Human Settlements’ Acting Director-General, Mbulelo Tshangana requested that provincial Heads Of Departments present him a current status quo analysis detailing payments of contractors and service providers as well as outstanding claims.

Minister Sisulu has also had numerous meetings with contractors as part of her bid to ensure that companies that are contracted to do human settlements related works receive satisfactory treatment in order to ensure they help speed up the delivery of decent housing. The Minister wants the Department, working with all stakeholders, to deliver at least 1.5-housing opportunities by 2019, the end of term for the current Government.

Issued by the Department of Human Settlements. For more information please contact Ndivhuwo Mabaya on 0836457838

Sanral has given 72 hectares of land in Knysna to the Department of Human Settlements as part of efforts to speed up the delivery of decent housing in the country.

The Ministers of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu and Dipuo Peters of Transport will on Friday, 19 February 2016, sign the transfer agreement of the land in Knysna in Western Cape.

The Housing Development Agency (HDA), an agency of the Department of Human Settlements which is responsible for managing the development of human settlements projects .

Minister Sisulu will also attend an Imbizo on Friday to interact with the community and discuss service delivery issues in the area. The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Zou Kota-Fredericks and members of the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee will also attend the event.

The details of the launch are as follows:

Date: Friday, 19 February 2016
Time: 9:00
Venue: Knysna Council Chambers, Western Cape

Enquiries

Ndivhuwo Mabaya  083 645 7838
Ishmael Mnisi  072 566 0827

For RSVP
Teboho Montse
Cell: 082 886 6721

Tebogo Mosima
Tebogo.Mosima@dhs.gov.za

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

KNYSNA, Western Cape-History was made when the Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters and the Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu signed an agreement to transfer 72 hectares of land from SANRAL to the Housing Development Agency (HDA) for the development of Integrated Human Settlement project.

The land, previously reserved for the extension of a national road passing near Knysna is partially occupied by people who work in the area. At the handover ceremony held on Friday, 19 February 2016, Ministers declared the development a National Priority Project.

“We declare this development that will start after 18 months a catalytic project, we will ring-fence funds for the first 500 units and they should be complemented with social amenities, we want to see clinics, schools and business centres, we also no longer build houses where people have to travel long distances for services”, said Minister Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu said it was unacceptable that after 21 years of freedom there are still severe inequalities in our communities.

“It is not right that such inequalities still exist, the wealth you see in holiday homes and the poverty you see in black people’s residential areas is not fair. Nobody should live like this, our people live in appalling conditions where there are no services and some even erect shacks under high voltage of electrical servitudes”, said Minister Sisulu.

Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters said she is very happy to see the land transferred to Human Settlements for the purposes of building decent homes for the people. “My department cannot sit on the land and do nothing while people live in squalor conditions”, said Minister Peters.

Minister Peters also added that the hand over of the land by SANRAL to the HDA for the development of human settlements furthers the upliftment of the local people.

The development will be integrated with different tenure options, which will include rental accommodation, Breaking New Ground (BNG) houses and bonded houses.

Housing Development Agency, an entity of the Department of Human Settlements has been tasked to manage the development that will see the dignity of the people restored.

For more information contact Ndivhuwo Mabaya 083 645 7838

The Ministry of Human Settlements has noted with concern fake linkedin and facebook accounts which claim to be that of Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

We would like to warn members of the public not to be misled by these fake accounts which sometimes promise people tenders and other economic opportunities within human settlements sector in the name of the Minister.
 

The Minister of Human Settlements conducts no official business on social media, either Facebook or linkedin. Those approached for financial solicitation by a fake Minister must report them to the Human Settlements official Gipson.mohlongo@dhs.gov.za.

Members of the public are advised to note the following:-

• There are five linkedin accounts under the username Lindiwe Sisulu. All of these accounts on linkedin are scams.
• Facebook has 10 accounts under the username Lindiwe Sisulu. Out of this 10 there is only one legitimate account which has an underscore in between the user name, i.e Lindiwe_Sisulu.
 

The Ministry of Human Settlements has reported these fake accounts to facebook and linkedin and members of the public are advised to block the aforementioned accounts and also report them to the respective social media platform.

Enquiries:
Ndivhuwo Mabaya
Cell: 083 645 7838
Date: 22 February 2016

Housing delivery in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality got a boost with the gazetting of an additional R500m by National Treasury to speed up the provision of sustainable human settlements in the city.

The additional funding is aimed at bolstering the work of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu’s Cabinet sanctioned intervention team in the municipality and its availability will seriously help ease the inadequacy of suitable housing in the Eastern Cape Province.

“Cabinet took a decision to intervene in the municipality with the sole purpose of stabilising the institution and up-scaling housing delivery. These extra funds are a demonstration of Government’s commitment to develop the municipality and improve the lives of the citizens of the Metro,” said Human Settlements’ Director-General Mbulelo Tshangana.

The Ministerial Intervention Team led by Acting Executive Director for Human Settlements in Nelson Mandela Bay, Mandla Mabuza, had as one of its priorities, the stabilisation of the revolving fund, which is a bridging finance mechanism used by the metro to pay contractors whilst waiting payment from Bisho.

A total of R146m of these funds would be used to reduce the revolving fund which is currently standing at R341m. The fund would be reduced in the next few months with the sole purpose of closing it in the medium term.

The Metro would also receive an additional R83m to deliver 803 houses in Rosedale; Uit Tyriville 187; Wells Estate 603; Motherwell NU 29; and Joe Slovo Uitenhage by the end of the current financial year.

The Housing Development Agency (HDA) will receive R122m to deliver 921 houses in Chatty 1060; Sisulu Village; Joe Slovo West; Chatty 491; Soweto-on-Sea and Walmer.

On the other hand, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements would be allocated an additional R48m for value created in building Multi-Purpose Community Centres in Motherwell and Langa; social housing project in Willowdene and a housing project in Motherwell 1262, among others, before the end of the current financial year.

The province would also use the balance of R100m to cover commitments outside Nelson Mandela Bay.

“From now onwards, Nelson Mandela Bay is going to be a construction site that should see the benefits being felt by the citizens of the city. We have managed to stabilise the housing department in the few months we have been there and its now all systems go,” said Tshangana, the new Director-General for the National Department of Human Settlements.

For more information please contact Xolani Xundu at 083 788 5747

Hon. Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Zou Kota-Fredericks and the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Hon. Ms Noma India Mfeketo will visit Joe Slovo Park to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on 08 March.

In line with the UN theme for this year’s celebrations “Planet 50/50 by 2030: Step it up for gender equality” the event seeks to celebrate women who endeavour to build institutions, systems and processes that promote and protect democracy and good governance, business, human rights with the main focus on women’s rights and the protection of children.

The Deputy Ministers will be accompanied by women activists who were involved in organising the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings and will encourage women to work towards Agenda 2063, with a strong emphasis on aspiration six that seeks to create an Africa whose development is people driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially women and youth, and caring for children.

Details are as follows:

Date: 08 March 2016

Time: 09:00 am

Venue: Marconi Beam Primary School, Joe Slovo Park

For more information contact: Isaac Skhosana 081 495 2222 or Xoliswa Salman 084 293 7617

The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, MP, has noted a statement made by the EFF on her tenure as the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.

The Minister is unaware and has no knowledge of the allegations made by the EFF.

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

South Africa and the United Nations will host the Habitat III Thematic conference on Informal Settlements from 7 to 8 April 2016 in Pretoria at CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria under the theme - From slums to integrated safe, resilient and suitable human settlement.

Habitat III is the major United Nations Conference on housing and urbanization in the last 20 years. Habitat I took place in 1976, Habitat II in 1996. Habitat III will take place in Ecuador in October 2016. Habitat III is expected to generate a 'New Urban Agenda' for the 21st century. Habitat III will secure a renewed global commitment to addressing housing and sustainable urbanization through the adoption of a forward-looking, action oriented outcome document.

The thematic conference on informal settlements is in preparation for Habitat III and will explore approaches and strategies in the inter-related areas of tenure security and housing, livelihoods, safety, and governance. For this purpose, lessons learned, challenges, pro-poor solutions, and partnership mechanisms will be shared.

About 500 delegates from governments and civil society across the globe are expected to come up with an agreed framework and global action plan to inform the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at Habitat III in Ecuador.

The conference will be preceded by an Urban Journalism Academy on the 6 April 2016. The Urban Journalism Academy is a pioneering and innovative initiative to engage journalists and media professionals who are already interested or involved in urban development with reference to social, economic and economic issues facing cities in the 21st Century.