Human Settlements
With regard to elderly persons, disabled persons and children, and child-headed households that have applied for houses in municipalities:
(1) Whether reports have been bought to his attention that many child-headed households, disabled persons and elderly people who have applied for housing in the Witzenberg Local Municipality have been on the waiting list for over a decade; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) (a) what is the number and details of the (i) elderly, (ii) disabled persons and children and (iii) child-headed households that have applied for housing subsidies in the Witzenberg Local Municipality and (b) what are the details and updates of each application;
(3) what programmes are in place in his Department to assist the elderly, the disabled and child-headed households to receive houses in the province?
(1) No such reports have been brought to my attention. Where there are challenges or deviations are required by municipalities; they would formally approach my department through my office.
(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)To date my department has processed approximately 5 850 subsidy applications received from the Witzenberg Municipality of which 5 128 has been approved. The number of aged and disabled persons are reflected on the attached spreadsheet. Disabled persons that are approved applicants may apply for the disability variance to make the house “disability-friendly” if any member of the household becomes disabled post taking occupation. See Annuxure A
(3)The allocation guidelines as developed by my department has been disseminated to all municipalities and have been implemented via the municipality’s respective allocation policies. The aforementioned guidelines make provision for the prioritization of the marginalized or vulnerable groups, which has recently also been ratified by the National Department of Human Settlements via its priority groups.
