Quito, Ecuador- The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu has called on the newly elected President of United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), Cllr Parks Tau to use his three year term to build relations with business community and all other stakeholders to develop sustainable human settlements for the poor.

Minister Sisulu added that the election of the South African Local Government Association Chairperson, Cllr Tau is another confirmation by the Global Community that the people and Government of South Africa have achieved a miracle in the delivery of houses, electricity, water, sanitation and all other community infrastructure since the dawn of democracy.

“The City of Johannesburg is a truly world class city. The provision of services improved during President Tau’s term as an Executive Mayor and has contributed immensely in assisting all other municipalities through his leadership as the Chairperson of SALGA”, said Sisulu.

“He takes with him to the Presidency of UCLG, a body representing all cities in the world, lots of experiences and lessons learnt over years. We are proud of this achievement, South Africans must take a moment and celebrate that the world has recognized that we have done well in service delivery and we can share our experiences and successes to guide other cities of the world”, added Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu will meet and congratulate Cllr Tau later today at the Habitat III Conference in Ecuador.

Enquiries

Ndivhuwo Mabaya
Mobile: 083 645 7838 or Tuso on 072 127 1565
Email: Ndivhuwo.mabaya@dhs.gov.za or Tuso.zibula@dhs.gov.za
Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

The Minister of Human Settlements, Hon Ms. Lindiwe Sisulu (MP), will officially launch the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) on 10 November 2016.

The purpose of the launch is to introduce, inform, to educate the public on the rationale for the establishment of the CSOS, its purpose, mandate and the services provided by the CSOS as Section 3A public entity.

CSOS work is to regulate, monitor and provide public access to community schemes governance documentation, provide dispute resolution service and to ensure that there is education and awareness provided to community schemes.

Members of the media are invited to attend this auspicious event.

Event details

Date: 10 November 2016
Time: 9h00
Venue: Hyatt Hotel, Rosebank, Johannesburg
RSVP: Teboho.montse@dhs.gov.za / 082 886 6721

For media enquiries:

Mr. Ndivhuwo Mabaya

DHS Head of Communication (Ministry Spokesperson)

Ndivhuwo.mabaya@dhs.gov.za / 083 645 7838

Ms. Wanda Lubelwana

CSOS Manager Marketing & Communication

Wanda.lubelwana@csos.org.za / 082 796 1805

For more information about the CSOS visit www.csos.org.za

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

“Prior to the establishment of the CSOS, regulation of community schemes was fragmented. There was a lack of an effective dispute resolution mechanism, high arbitration and litigation costs to settle even minor disputes under Arbitration Act. Power imbalance and financial muscle between an ordinary property owners and a body corporate or managing agent served as a deterrent”, said Themba Mthethwa the CEO and Chief Ombudman of the Community Schemes Ombud Services (CSOS).

Mthethwa was speaking at the launch of CSOS held in Rosebank, Johannesburg this morning.

‘CSOS will achieve this, by developing and providing a cost effective, value for money alternative dispute resolution service for all community schemes, said Mthethwa.

The main purpose of CSOS is to regulate, monitor and control the quality of all sectional titles schemes governance documentation and other scheme governance documentation as may be determined by the Minister of Human Settlements by Notice in the Gazette.

Human Settlements Acting Director – General Mr Neville Chainee said the department’s role is to provide the executive authority oversight on the implementation of the Act, regulations, the board and its funding.

“We must ensure consistency with other Ombud offices. The Act and regulations have been promulgated and now office is in full force. We have to make it work as the  Department and the Minister, we will make it work and be rest assured of our support” added the Acting Director General Chainee.

CSOS will also assure quality, preserve and provide public access to all sectional titles and other scheme governance documentation.

The establishment of the CSOS means that community schemes (which include body corporates, retirement villages and home owners associations) will need to make a number of critical decisions/adjustments in terms of the fees and levy collection. The registration of schemes will need to take place within 30 days. They will also have to pay a levy from January 2017 which will comprise of 2% of the normal levy value and it is capped that at R40.

The National Association of Managing Agents (NAMA) represented by its Chairperson, Koos Croukamp and Association of Residential Communities (ARC) represented by its Chairperson, Jeff Gilmore applauded the establishment of CSOS. “It is good news that community scheme leaders are no longer going to deal with disputes in their communities. We also encourage community scheme leaders to try deal with disputes before approaching the Ombud”, said ARC Chairperson, Jeff Gilmore.

Community schemes will have to fill in governance documentation within 90 days from the date of publication of the Act.

For media enquiries:

Mr. Ndivhuo Mabaya

DHS Head of Communication (Ministry Spokesperson)

Ndivhuwo.mabaya@dhs.gov.za / 083 645 7838

Ms. Wanda Lubelwana

CSOS Manager Marketing & Communication

Wanda.lubelwana@csos.org.za / 082 796 1805

10 November 2016

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Vulnerable people at the centre of service delivery

The Deputy Ministers of Human Settlements and Arts and Culture have joined forces to restore the dignity and pride of Witterwater, a small town in the Bergrivier Local Municipality in the Western Cape. The place is known for its thatched houses with a heritage dating back to the 1857 when the German Moravian Missionaries settled here.

The visit is as a result of an intervention ordered by the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements; Zou Kota-Fredericks after the plight of this community was brought to her attention. A number of destitute families living in dilapidated houses not fit for human habitation were recognized and 6 have been identified and are prioritized for restoration and rehabilitation.

To fast track and ensure that this project becomes a success, Deputy Minister Kota-Fredericks roped in her counterpart in the Ministry of Arts and Culture, Rejoice Thizwilondi Mabudafhasi who was accompanied by officials from the South African Heritage Resource Agency, a statutory organization established under the National Heritage Resources Act, No 25 of 1999, as the national administrative body responsible for the protection of South Africa’s cultural heritage.

The Moravian Mission Station in Wittewater is subject to the National Heritage Act; therefore all restoration to the historical houses has to be in line with the heritage prescripts and Heritage Architects from SAHRA will be deployed to be part of the project task team that will deliver on the project without compromising either the country’s heritage and the right to descent, quality housing for the beneficiaries.

Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi said her department will lead a craft imbizo in the area that will assist to unlock the much needed employment and income to the area and surrounding communities. The Imbizo will serve as a platform to showcase, exhibit the work the department is doing and also bring much needed information about the economic opportunities that exist within government, especially the departments of Human Settlements and Arts and Culture.

Human Settlements Deputy Minister reiterated her commitment to the project and said “This visit here is very important and close to my heart, we can’t have people living like this and do nothing…for the elderly, it is wrong”. She added that “it is important for our community leaders to ensure that people don’t lose hope, so we’re going ahead with this project and we will make sure that the houses are build in line with the needs and requirements of these families”.  

Issued by Isaac Skhosana 

The Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, MP will on Thursday, 24 November 2016 honour men and women in the construction sector and Provinces who continue to excel in the delivery of houses at the Annual Govan Mbeki Awards.

The main purpose of the Govan Mbeki Awards is to encourage and re-enforce a culture of excellence within the housing sector in the delivery of integrated human settlements. The 2016 awards come as the country continue to celebrate the delivery of over 4, 3 million houses and subsidies delivered since the dawn of democracy.

The 2016 Govan Mbeki Awards will also see Life Achievement Awards bestowed upon the late Dumisani Makhaye, the former KwaZulu Natal MEC of Housing for the role he played in restoring people’s dignity through human settlements and  bringing the “Freedom Charter to Life” and Professor Anna Tibaijuka the former  Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) who encouraged international cooperation and universal solidarity to improve the quality of life of the people of the globe. Professor Tibaijuka also served as the Tanzanian Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development.

Prior to the 2016 Govan Mbeki Awards will be a visit to Cornubia integrated human settlements to assess housing delivery. Cornubia is one of the national priority projects that seek to promote the idea of work, live and play within a single environment.

Two high profile projects associated with Cornubia include the R1.5-billion Cornubia Mall located in the business park within Phase 1 which is nearing completion and the proposed Athletes Village for the 2022 Commonwealth games which will comprise of about 100 housing units.

A day after the 2016 Govan Mbeki Awards will be a golf challenge where human settlements stakeholders raise funds for the indigents. The proceeds of this year’s golf challenge will go towards the building of houses for an elderly citizen and disabled person.

Minister Sisulu is expected to be joined by Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Zoe Kota-Fredericks, Kwa-Zulu Natal Premier, Hon Willies Mchunu and his Provincial Executive, MECs of Human Settlements and Executive Mayors.

The 2016 Govan Mbeki media  programme is as follows:

1. Cornubia visit

Date: Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Venue: B2 Ushujela, 2 Sundev Road, Cornubia Industrial and Business Estate

Time: 11:00

2. Govan Mbeki Awards Ceremony

Date: Thursday, 24 November 2016

Venue: Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban

Time: 18:00

3. Govan Mbeki Golf Challenge

Date: Friday, 25 November 2016

Venue: Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Durban

Time:  10:00

RSVP: Tebogo.mosima@dhs.gov.za

Enquiries

Ndivhuwo Mabaya

Mobile: 0 83 645 7838

Email: Ndivhuwo.mabaya@dhs.gov.za

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Date:  20 November 2016

Cape Town-The Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu briefed the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements on South Africa’s participation at the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) which ended with the adoption of the New Urban Agenda.

Habitat III is hosted by the United Nations every 20 years to secure a renewed global commitment to addressing housing and sustainable urbanisation through the adoption of a forward-looking, action orientated outcome agreement expected to be implemented by all member states including the Republic of South Africa.

Minister Sisulu was responding to a request from the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements that wanted a briefing on the New Urban Agenda adopted at the Habitat Conference which took place in Quito, Ecuado last month, October.

As part of implementing the New Urban Agenda, South Africa will over the next few years be expected to amongst others, ensure that transformation is realised. The transformative commitments include sustainable urban development for social inclusion and ending poverty, sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity and opportunities for all and environmentally sound and resilient urban development.

“We are very much committed to integrating our communities, the basis is laid in our policy and evident in the work we do. It might take time but we are on track and the results which include COSMO City and Cornubia are there for everyone to see that integration is central in our work,” said Minister Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu added that her Department continues its work towards to reducing economic inequalities. “We are transforming the economy through SMMEs development. For instance our intervention in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) we have been paying our contractors within fourteen days.

Over the last few months we have been paying over R16 million to our NMBM contractors on a weekly basis” added Minister Sisulu.

Minister Sisulu also told Portfolio Committee members that 61% of South Africans now lived in urban areas. “We together with the entire Globe have a responsibility to respond to this phenomenon,” she said.

Enquiries

Ndivhuwo Mabaya

Mobile: 083 645 7838

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

Date: 29 November 2016