Immense strides have been attained in the quest to usher in a new, fair and transparent procurement framework for contractors linked to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s Human Settlements Programme.

To date, a contractor database bas been drawn up and the first round of allocations undertaken for three projects ready for implementation, namely, Joe Slovo West, Chatty 1060 and Sisulu Hlalani. This is in line with the package of work for the financial year 2016/17.

Members of the media are invited to an event where the list of contractors will be confirmed and provide details for the allocation of available work for the 2016/17 financial year.

DATE : 15 June 2016

VENUE : Feather Market Convention Centre

TIME : 10h00

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

For more information please contact Xolani Xundu at 083 788 5747

THE Housing Development Agency (HDA) has concluded its procurement process that has led to 100 contractors being appointed to deliver houses in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in the current financial year.

A total of 30 of these companies are wholly owned by women owned while 20 are youth owned, with the balance to going to general contractors. Whereas 66 contractors are already appointed 34 will get their appointment letters by the end of the week.

Addressing contractors at the Feather Market Hall this morning, Human Settlements Director-General Mbulelo Tshangana said in construction, time was everything.
“We would like to have all our contractors on site if we are going to spend the money and meet our targets. We believe the procurement process was fair, competitive and transparent and we are now closing it,” he said.

The director general called on contractors to take advantage of the total R603 million housing budget for top structures, by making sure that they delivered houses to the people of the city. 
The meeting with contractors was to inform them about the allocation process that will see the city construct about 8 000 housing opportunities in the current financial year. The number consists of about 4 000 housing units and the balance being serviced sites.  

Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Human Settlements Nomvuselelo Tontsi said the most important issue was to make sure that people received houses.
“Without you forming a partnership there is nothing we can do. We would like to see SMMEs develop into established contractors. This is not going to happen without working together between you and the municipality,” said Tontsi.

HDA chief executive officer Pascal Moloi said whilst the process was rigorous, it took long because everything had to be done to make sure that it was fair, competitive and transparent.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
For more information please call Xolani Xundu at 083 788 5747

Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu, MP, will tomorrow, 5 July 2016 deliver a key note address at the 7th Planning Africa Conference at Sandton Convention Centre.

Under the theme, “Making Sense of the Future: Disruption and Reinvention, the conference will look at the role of planners and the value of planning in the development and growth of South Africa in particular and the African continent in general.

The conference will also cover matters that would support Africa’s deliberations towards UN Habitat III to be held in Ecuador later this year. Key debates will be linked to sustainable human development and spatial transformation.

The Department of Human Settlements in April this year successfully hosted a Thematic Conference on Informal Settlements which also adopted Pretoria Declaration to be tabled at UN Habitat III.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2016 (TOMORROW)
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre
Time: 10:30

R.S.V.P please contact- Tebogo.Mosima@dhs.gov.za or Botshelo.Selokgilwe@dhs.gov.za

For more information contact: Ndivhuwo Mabaya 083 645 7838

Issued by: Ministry of Human Settlements

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, MP, will tomorrow, 18 July 2016 visit Mzimhlophe Women’s Hostel in Soweto where to engage hostel dwellers and other local community members.

Delivering her 2015/2016 Budget Vote Speech, Minister Sisulu called for an end of hostels saying “Human Settlements would like to gradually abolish hostels in our towns and hostel dwellers who have lived in our towns for a number of years would qualify for a Breaking New Ground (BNG) house or the CRU subsidy, depending on their specific circumstances”.

The City of Johannesburg is one of the Metros to heed the call where some of the Mzimhlophe hostel dwellers will be prioritized for housing. The Minister will also do a walkabout and receive briefing at the construction site of the housing units.

Prior to the engagement with hostel dwellers Minister Sisulu and MEC Mashatile will embark on a clean-up campaign in Soweto to celebrate the International Mandela Day.

 Minister will also visit a construction site where more than 300 housing units are being built to accommodate qualifying beneficiaries including hostel dwellers.

Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Cllr Parks Tau and other local councillors are expected to join the Minister on a cleaun-up campaign and visit to Mzimhlophe Women’s Hostel.

Details are as follows:

Date: Monday, 18 July 2016 (TOMORROW)

Venue (Assembly point): Mzimhlophe female hostel Block 4, Orlando West, Soweto

Time: 10:00

RSVP: Tebogo.mosima@dhs.gov.za

Enquiries: Tuso Zibula

Mobile: 072 127 1565

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Date: 17 July 2016

The Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu, Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor Danny Jordaan will tomorrow, 20 July 2016 hand over houses and title deeds at Wells Estate where a total of 603 units have been delivered.

Minister Sisulu will also use the event as a report back session for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay to brief them about what has been achieved in the city’s human settlements department since the start of the intervention last year, 2015.

The Wells Estate handover will be preceded by a visit to a military veteran, Mr Sipho Hina and engagement with military veterans on housing issues.

Details of the event are as follows:

Part A: Visit and engagement with military veterans

Date: 20 July 2016

Venue: 44 Malakane Street, New Brighton

Time: 08:00

Part B: Handover of houses, title deeds and community engagement

Date       :               20 July 2016

Venue    :               8934 Dwarha Street

                                Wells Estate

                                Motherwell

Time       :               11h30

Enquiries:                

Vusi Tshose on 083 581 5265 or Tuso Zibula on 072 127 1565

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

Government cannot stop its programmes because of the local government elections

The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, MP has noted with concern the slanderous allegation that she abused state resources for the local government election campaign in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Minister Sisulu was in Nelson Mandela Bay with the Executive Mayor Danny Jordaan executing her programme of handing out title deeds to the beneficiaries of the Breaking New Ground Houses (BNG).

“If the Democratic Alliance has nothing to offer the people then they must just shut up because government has work to do in restoring the dignity of our people through handing over title deeds that have been denied to them by successive apartheid regimes.

“Government cannot stop working because of the current period where political parties are campaigning. We cannot stop people from attending our events because of their political affiliation,” said
Sisulu.

“I was in Soweto on Monday to engage with hostel dwellers of Mzimhlophe on housing issues. On the same day, I also met shortly with izinduna at the Dube Hostel. Our government is committed to engaging different communities and this should not be affected by the upcoming local government elections,” added Sisulu.

Enquiries:
Xolani Xundu on 083 788 5747 or Tuso Zibula on 072 127 1565


ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
Date: 20 July 2016

The Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu will embark on a cleaning campaign KwaLanga in Uitenhage tomorrow. The Minister will also meet with 800 young people from the area who will help clean the townships over the next three days from tomorrow.

Details of the event are as follows:

Venue    :              Methodist Church

                              14th Avenue

                              Xaba Section

                              KwaLanga Township

                              Uitenhage

Date      :              22 July 2016

Time      :              11am

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

For more information please contact Vusi Tshose at 083 581 5265

The Mister of Human Settlements, LN Sisulu, will tomorrow, 25 July 2016 visit Princess informal settlements in Roodepoort.

The purpose of the Minister’s visit is to assess service delivery and engage with residents in the area on human settlements matters. This comes seven days after Minister visited Mzimhlophe hostel dwellers in Soweto.

Prior to the community engagement, Minister will join more than 200 volunteers who will be cleaning the area as South Africa and the World continue to commemorate Nelson Mandela Month.

Minister Sisulu is expected to be accompanied by MMC in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Bovu.

Details are as follows:-

Date: Monday, 25 July 2016 (TOMORROW)

Venue: Sports ground, Princess informal settlements

Time: 10:00

Confirmation: Tebogo.mosima@dhs.gov.za

Enquiries

Tuso Zibula: 072 127 1565

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Date: 24 July 2016

The Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu, will be involved in a series of activities around the country starting from Wednesday, 27 July to Monday, 01 August 2016.

The activities will include the launch of Lufhereng Housing project second phase, the handing over of a Social Housing project, the handing over of blankets to the elderly women, interaction with the communities and a clean-up campaign.

Details are as follows:

1. The launch of Lufhereng Housing project second phase and the handing over of title deeds

Date: Tomorrow, Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Venue: Lufhereng Housing Development, Johannesburg
Time: 9:00

2. Phumlani, East London housing hand over

Date: Thursday, 28 July 2016
Venue: Phumlani, East London
Time: 10:00

3. Hand over of 100 Blankets to the elderly women and a Clean –up Campaign

Date: Friday, 29 July 2016
Venue: Missionvale Port Elizabeth
Time: 10:00-15:30

4. The hand over of Social Housing Project

Date: Saturday, 30 July 2016
Venue: Willowdene, Port Elizabeth
Time: 9:00-12:00

5. Celebration of housing delivery at Wells and launch of the electrification programme

Date: Saturday, 30 July 2016
Venue: Willowdene
Time: 12:30-15:30

6. Walkabout at Ezinyoka ward 31 and house handover to an elderly woman

Date: Monday,01 August 2016
Venue: Ezinyoka ward 31, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Time: 10:00- 11:00

Confirmations: Tebogo.mosima@dhs.gov.za

Enquiries
Tuso Zibula: 072 127 1565

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Human Settlements Deputy Minister, Zou Kota-Fredericks will brief the media on the strides made by the department and its Stakeholders to ensure participation of women in the economy and the property market.

The media briefing will preside over the “Miranda Nosipho Ngculu Memorial Lecture” aimed at celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Women’s March to the Union Buildings and raise awareness about the participation and contribution of ordinary women, especially from the Western Cape, in the struggle for a free and democratic country.

Details of the media briefing are as follows:

Date: 29 July 2016
Time: 13:30
Venue: Imbizo Media Centre, 120 Plein Street, Parliament


NB: There will be a video link up to GCIS Head Office, Tshedimosetso House, 1035 Francis Baard, Hatfield, Pretoria


Memorial Lecture details :

Date: 29 July 2016
Time: 17:00 hrs
Venue: Garden Court Mandela Boulevard, Melbourne Road, Walmer Estate, CPT


To RSVP contact: Xoliswa.Salman@dhs.gov.za or 084 293 7617

Enquires: Isaac Skhosana on 081 495 2222