Bill in the pipe to halt informal settlements

Dyantyi addressed a housing summit in Cape Town today

Western Cape Housing Minister Richard Dyantyi says government will introduce new legislation to curb the mushrooming of informal settlements in the province.

Speaking at a housing summit in Cape Town, Dyantyi said there were currently 340 informal settlement areas in the province.

Dyantyi says legislation will also curb those who sell subsidised houses and move back to informal settlements. He says a percentage of new housing development projects in the province will be given to backyard dwellers.

Government will conduct a survey of all the houses that were handed over between 1994 and 2006. The purpose will be to establish whether those currently staying in the houses are the rightful owners.

Dyantyi says housing officials from the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape will meet at the end of next month to map out joint plans for housing developments. The Western Cape currently has a housing backlog of about 400 000 units. - SABC