Parliament ask for better management of housing beneficiary list

By Ofentse Mokae
15 October 2009

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has called on the Department of Human Settlements to strengthen its beneficiary management of people waiting to be allocated subsidy houses.

This follows an annual report presentation by the department to the committee.

In a media statement committee chairperson Nomhle Dambuza says, the current form of management of the beneficiary list is not ideal.

“The committee thus recommends that structures such as the Housing Forum needs to be revived as to ensure the participation of the community in the coordination and management of the beneficiary list,” Dambuza said.

The Housing Forum includes stakeholders, such as municipalities, the department and community structures.

Dambuza said that a properly managed beneficiary list would eliminate suspicion of fraud and corruption as it would encourage transparent and participatory processes.

In a recent oversight visit to the Eastern Cape the committee discovered that implementing agents were also in charge of the beneficiary list which led to the list being manipulated, thus leaving out some eligible beneficiaries out of the list.

“Ward Councillors also complained that in most cases they did not even know that there was a beneficiary list in their wards, and were thus unable to address questions about allocation of houses as they were not involved,” Dambuza added.

The committee urged the department to embark on an intensified awareness campaign on who qualifies for a housing subsidy.

The department was also advised to strengthen their communication strategy and use the relevant medium to respective communities.