In a radical departure from present models of housing delivery, the Western Cape government is to move families on to serviced sites instead of into completed homes.
The province is grappling with a housing backlog approaching 500,000 units, which officials say will take up to 30 years to eradicate.
The provincial government has budgeted for the construction of only 16,000 new housing units during the current financial year.
Announcing the new policy, Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said the shift came as his department was set on enhancing the living conditions of more families.
"We must increase the number of families we assist to enhance their living conditions every year by increasing the provision of serviced sites, both through in-situ upgrading of informal sites and the development of serviced sites in green field projects."
From 18,000 serviced sites this year, Madikizela's department plans to increase this to 31,000 in 2014/2015. The funding for this would come from the national housing grant.
Asked to comment Madikizela's predecessor Whitey Jacobs said his party, the ANC was opposed to the subsidy funding the proposed sites.
"Subsidy funding should not be used for anything but the top structures (completed houses)," said Jacobs.
He said the ANC's position was that the new serviced sites had to be funded through money allocated for the upgrade of informal settlements, under way in several areas around Cape Town.
Premier Helen Zille, sitting alongside Madikizela at the announcement, said the constraints were "massive".
- Cape Times
The province is grappling with a housing backlog approaching 500,000 units, which officials say will take up to 30 years to eradicate.
The provincial government has budgeted for the construction of only 16,000 new housing units during the current financial year.
Announcing the new policy, Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said the shift came as his department was set on enhancing the living conditions of more families.
"We must increase the number of families we assist to enhance their living conditions every year by increasing the provision of serviced sites, both through in-situ upgrading of informal sites and the development of serviced sites in green field projects."
From 18,000 serviced sites this year, Madikizela's department plans to increase this to 31,000 in 2014/2015. The funding for this would come from the national housing grant.
Asked to comment Madikizela's predecessor Whitey Jacobs said his party, the ANC was opposed to the subsidy funding the proposed sites.
"Subsidy funding should not be used for anything but the top structures (completed houses)," said Jacobs.
He said the ANC's position was that the new serviced sites had to be funded through money allocated for the upgrade of informal settlements, under way in several areas around Cape Town.
Premier Helen Zille, sitting alongside Madikizela at the announcement, said the constraints were "massive".
- Cape Times
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