KNYSNA NEWS - It became clear during the recent visit of Western Cape Minister of Housing and Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela, that residents were still unclear as to how the municipality receives and allocates money for housing in the area.
Knysna Municipal Manager Johnny Douglas explained: "The National Government makes funds available to the provinces for housing. Some provinces take sole responsibility for housing, whilst others, like Western Cape, use the local authority and an implementation agent. In the latter case, the municipality receives an annual allocation dependent on the provincial budget and priorities. This annual allocation is meant to be used for ALL state housing initiatives: servicing sites, building top structures, building rental units, installing additional services to top structures, rehabilitation, platforming, and retaining walls, etc. Knysna Council is one of the handful nationally who provides additional top-up funding for housing, as the allocation received each year, based upon the subsidy amount, is insufficient."
Municipal view
Minister Madikizela’s visit to the area on September 3 and 4, was reported on in the previous edition of this newspaper. However, at time of going to press then the Knysna Municipality had not yet submitted a response to various issues raised during a meeting between the minister and members of the municipality. Response was received from Douglas since.
Citizens still using the bucket system
Knysna Municipal Manager Johnny Douglas, gave the following explanation pertaining to senior citizens still using the bucket system, a matter which concerned Minister Madikizela greatly. "There are a number of sites which have been given bulk services in Rheenendal. These households are non-qualifiers and thus cannot receive a subsidy." He explained further that the residents of the area were fully aware that they had to undertake the internal reticulation themselves and said that a number of affected persons had already done so. "This was discussed with the minister who was adamant that if persons do not qualify they must assist themselves.
All persons using buckets in Dam-se-bos were supplied with waterborne sanitation (own or communal) as part of the Presidential Directive in 2007. We are aware that some individuals have recommenced using this system out of their own will".
Cracked and damaged houses
Douglas explained that the issue surrounding cracked and damaged houses was a complex one which relates to the lack of national policy to deal with houses built before 1994. "Those [houses] built after 1994 are investigated and if the problem relates to maintenance the government is not responsible for rehabilitation. If the problem is related to geo-technical, hydro, or operational reasons, rehabilitation may be undertaken pending funding." According to Douglas, funding needs to be provided by the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape (PAWC). "The MEC has indicated he is willing to consider an application which we sent to them three years ago and have yet to receive a formal response".
Upgrading informal settlements
The municipal manager answered the Dam-se Bos community’s concerns about the lack of housing being built on plots that were set out for this purpose, saying that "the upgrading of the Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) in Dam-se-Bos is focused on the provision of services first and then the top structures later. This is the way that Vision and all UISP projects work. This is provincial and national policy. Funds and other operational matters allowing, we do sometimes follow immediately with platforms and top structures, but this is not the norm." Douglas further explained that as part of good spatial and human settlement planning the municipality identifies sites, plots and properties which are suitable for housing. "Sometimes we go as far as pre-planning and surveying. However, unless we have the funds from Province we cannot undertake any development."
Infrastructure problems
When Minister Madikizela referred to a meeting where the Municipality had promised to meet with various service providers to deal with infrastructure problems, he was referring to sanitation in particular. Douglas said that there was no discussion with the minister, "nor do we have any problems with the service providers dealing with infrastructure. So it is not clear why this was stated." According to Vusi Tshose of Human Settlements communications department, the department did no want to prescribe what sanitation or service provider for the sanitation the municipalities should use, but would like to interact and offer technical support to the municipality, where possible.
- George Herald
Knysna Municipal Manager Johnny Douglas explained: "The National Government makes funds available to the provinces for housing. Some provinces take sole responsibility for housing, whilst others, like Western Cape, use the local authority and an implementation agent. In the latter case, the municipality receives an annual allocation dependent on the provincial budget and priorities. This annual allocation is meant to be used for ALL state housing initiatives: servicing sites, building top structures, building rental units, installing additional services to top structures, rehabilitation, platforming, and retaining walls, etc. Knysna Council is one of the handful nationally who provides additional top-up funding for housing, as the allocation received each year, based upon the subsidy amount, is insufficient."
Municipal view
Minister Madikizela’s visit to the area on September 3 and 4, was reported on in the previous edition of this newspaper. However, at time of going to press then the Knysna Municipality had not yet submitted a response to various issues raised during a meeting between the minister and members of the municipality. Response was received from Douglas since.
Citizens still using the bucket system
Knysna Municipal Manager Johnny Douglas, gave the following explanation pertaining to senior citizens still using the bucket system, a matter which concerned Minister Madikizela greatly. "There are a number of sites which have been given bulk services in Rheenendal. These households are non-qualifiers and thus cannot receive a subsidy." He explained further that the residents of the area were fully aware that they had to undertake the internal reticulation themselves and said that a number of affected persons had already done so. "This was discussed with the minister who was adamant that if persons do not qualify they must assist themselves.
All persons using buckets in Dam-se-bos were supplied with waterborne sanitation (own or communal) as part of the Presidential Directive in 2007. We are aware that some individuals have recommenced using this system out of their own will".
Cracked and damaged houses
Douglas explained that the issue surrounding cracked and damaged houses was a complex one which relates to the lack of national policy to deal with houses built before 1994. "Those [houses] built after 1994 are investigated and if the problem relates to maintenance the government is not responsible for rehabilitation. If the problem is related to geo-technical, hydro, or operational reasons, rehabilitation may be undertaken pending funding." According to Douglas, funding needs to be provided by the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape (PAWC). "The MEC has indicated he is willing to consider an application which we sent to them three years ago and have yet to receive a formal response".
Upgrading informal settlements
The municipal manager answered the Dam-se Bos community’s concerns about the lack of housing being built on plots that were set out for this purpose, saying that "the upgrading of the Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) in Dam-se-Bos is focused on the provision of services first and then the top structures later. This is the way that Vision and all UISP projects work. This is provincial and national policy. Funds and other operational matters allowing, we do sometimes follow immediately with platforms and top structures, but this is not the norm." Douglas further explained that as part of good spatial and human settlement planning the municipality identifies sites, plots and properties which are suitable for housing. "Sometimes we go as far as pre-planning and surveying. However, unless we have the funds from Province we cannot undertake any development."
Infrastructure problems
When Minister Madikizela referred to a meeting where the Municipality had promised to meet with various service providers to deal with infrastructure problems, he was referring to sanitation in particular. Douglas said that there was no discussion with the minister, "nor do we have any problems with the service providers dealing with infrastructure. So it is not clear why this was stated." According to Vusi Tshose of Human Settlements communications department, the department did no want to prescribe what sanitation or service provider for the sanitation the municipalities should use, but would like to interact and offer technical support to the municipality, where possible.
- George Herald
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