Human Settlements
With regard to serviced plots:
- (a) What is the (i) number and (ii) details of serviced sites in the province that are vacant and (b) what are the plans for developing each of these serviced sites;
(2) (a) what is the number of serviced plots in the province that have been developed per year from 2009 to 2020 to date, (b) how much was spent in each of the years in (a) for serviced plots and (c) what is the (i) number and (ii) details of serviced plots that have been vacant since 2009;
(3) whether there are any serviced plots in the province that have been sold or utilised for private development in the period 2009 to 2020 to date; if so, what are the relevant details;
(4) whether there is any policy that prohibits the government from allocating serviced plots to members of the public to build their own houses; if not, is releasing serviced plots to members of the public who can develop the plots for themselves being considered; if so, what are the relevant details?
With regard to serviced plots:
- [a] [i] 6,083 sites are vacant
[ii] See table below
[b] Contractors have been appointed to build top structures on these sites.
[2] [a] 75, 746 sites have been serviced. [See Annexure A].
[b] an average of R45,000 per site
[c] [i] null
[ii] no vacant sites since 2009.
[3] None for the period 2009 to 2020.
- Housing products are generally allocated to beneficiaries selected through the Housing Demand Database. Serviced sites are delivered either through the Integrated Residential Development Programme [IRDP] or as part of an Upgrade of Informal Settlements Programme [UISP] project. In some cases, those outside of the project is able to enter as part of the project through a gap housing scheme. In certain cases, these products can be serviced plots.
UISP projects are aimed at upgrading specific informal settlements, where all residents in that settlement need to be assisted, irrespective of whether they qualify for a top structure or not as per the subsidy criteria. Beneficiaries who do not qualify for a top structure are offered the following options:
- Purchase the site [either serviced plot or enhanced serviced plot] at development cost from the municipality; or,
- Enter into a lease/occupation agreement with the municipality, who shall remain the owner of the property.
Serviced plots can also be supplied for free in lieu of the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme [FLISP] for households earning between R3500 - R7000 per month in an IRDP project. As a consequence, and where sites are available, households earning in this range can instead be offered a serviced site at no cost, where they failed to secure a housing mortgage from a bank.
