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Housing allocation welcomed

February 23, 2007 Edition 1

Carvin Goldstone

HOUSING movements have welcomed the increased Budget allowance for housing but said the problem was not the availability of money but rather that available money was not being used and officials were not being held accountable.

The government has allocated R8.8 billion for housing in the 2007/2008 financial year, R2.7 billion more than in the previous year.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said R32 billion would be allocated for housing over the next three years.

Abahlali Base Mjondolo (shackdwellers’ movement) leader Sbu Zikode said the amount allocated indicated an increased awareness of the housing “crisis”. He said the problem was that available money had not reached the people who needed housing.

Orlene Naidoo, Chairman of the Durban-based Westcliffe Flat Residents’ Association, agreed with Zikode adding that while the government was building houses for some it was evicting others. This meant there would always be homeless people.

She said there was also much corruption in low-cost housing.

Desmond D’Sa, of the Wentworth Development Forum, said that money for housing was available but that officials managing the funds were inefficient.

He said the government also needed to create a link with communities to know where to build and what was required.

“National government needs to hold people responsible and ensure that, if the provinces don’t deliver, the officials responsible are fired,” D’Sa said.