• In May 2004, in his State of the Nation address President Thabo Mbeki commissioned the Ministry of Housing to develop a comprehensive housing programme aimed at creating sustainable human settlements and social infrastructure.

• In response to the call by the President, the National Minister of Housing, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu in her budget speech, committed the Department to rise to the challenge of translating the Presidential pronouncement into a user friendly housing policy called Breaking New Ground.

• Mpumalanga has 39 areas identified and confirmed as informal settlements by census 2001.

• As part of the comprehensive Plan, Provincial Departments were instructed to identify and approve pilot projects for upgrading of informal settlement.

• Subsequently, Mpumalanga Department of Local Government and Housing approved three pilot projects, one in each region.

1. EMALAHLENI: EMSAGWENI/NKANINI

2. MBOMBELA: NGODWANA AND PUMLANI

3. MKHONDO

• WHILE MPUMALANGA HAS THREE PILOT SITES, THE EMSAGWENI I NKANINI PROJECT IS THE MAIN ONE.

3.1 PILOT PROJECTS

3.2 EMSAGWENI I NKANINI

1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• The area is situated along the N4 national road en route to Tshwane Our recent research results have revealed that:

• The choice of this area was informed by the fact that it posed as a danger to the N4 route and that there was a political decision that the plight of those people in that area has to be attended to with immediate effect.

(a) There are about 6484 households on the municipal land.

(b) 1215 families preferred to rent

(c) 2345 families wanted sites to build own houses

(d) 225 have employers wanting to assist them build own houses

(e) 209 (3%) families are foreigners.

• 3000 housing units allocated and will be implemented in three financial years.

• The municipality requires 12,000 units in order to clear numerous informal settlements.

3.2.2 INITIATION PHASE

• The Emalahleni council was addressed early thi5 year in February 2005 to sh5re the idea of the choice of the settlement to be a Pilot site. On the 4th of March 2005 council took a decision to support the initiative.

• The municipality has agreed to contribute minimum of 10% to the cost of the project.

• Two project steering committees were established, one Political and the other Technical.

• The Technical committee under the Leadership of the Town Planning Division and the Department conducted the under mentioned studies:

• Environmental impact study
• Geotechnical study
• General social survey on settlement preferences of households conducted with the assistance of the local youth as field workers, and

• Prepared a layout plan in line with the Spatial Development Framework of the Town.

• The process of conducting the necessary consultation with the affected community was done by the municipality especially the Ward councilors, prior to the research survey.

• The research results were presented to the municipality in July 2005 and were duly accepted ass guide for development.

• The memorandum of understanding between the department and the municipality will be signed before the end of September.

3.2.3 IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

• The area earmarked for development is owned by the Municipality.

• The Municipality has a lay out plan drawn according to the spatial development Plan of the Town. The electronic lay out plan is available in the offices of the Municipality.

• The Municipality has installed bulk infrastructure with RDP standards

• Preliminary/draft concept designs were presented to the Planning Division of the Council during the latter part of last month.

• The development options are to be discussed with Political Committee this month (September).

3.2.3. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE: (CONTINUED)

• The tendering processes will commence in October 2005 were service providers will be invited and appointed.

• The implementation of both the bulk infrastructure and the concept designs will commence immediately after the tendering process has been finalized.

• It is envisaged that this process will be completed by the 31 March 2006.

• To date R1 230 000.00 has been used for the project. The breakdown is reflected hereunder:

• Environmental impact assessment study: R150 000.00
• Layout plan: R500 000.00
• Bulk infrastructure with RDP standards: R500 000.00
• General social survey: R80 000.00

3.3 MKHONDO:

3.3.1 PROJECT DESCRPITION

• This municipality was chosen because of its strategic location and the tact that this municipality borders Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal provinces.

• There are about 5181 demarcated stands on serviced sites

• The estimated shack dwellers are 8500

The land belongs to the municipality

Allocation is at 1500 housing units which will be implemented in three financial years (500 units per financial year)

3.3.2. STATUS

• A joint Task Team composed of officials from both the Department and the Municipality has been established to co-ordinate and oversee the initiation and implementation process.

• The under mentioned studies will be conducted by both the department and the municipality:

• Environmental impact study
• Geotechnical study is in process

• A research to do a social survey will commence towards the end of September 2005.

• The bulk infrastructure and lay-out plan have been completed by the Council.

3.3.2 STATUS (continues)

• The electronical lay out plan is in the possession of the municipality.

• Department and municipality to invite service providers to develop concept designs - process to be finalized during November 2005.

• The tendering for bulk infrastructure and concept designs will be completed by the end of November 2005.

• The implementation of bulk infrastructure is expected to be complete by the 31 March 2006.

• The municipality has already taken a decision to support and to contribute its minimum 10% share in the implementation of the project.

• The memorandum of understanding between the municipality and the province will be signed very soon.

3.4. MBOMBELA MUNICIPALITY: NGODWANA

3.4.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• This municipality was chosen because it is the economic hub, being the capital city and housing the Provincial Legislature

• Situated near Sappi industry along the N4 en route to Witbank /Pretoria

• This is a popular stop over for truckers Private land and under claim

• No services except one communal tap supplied by Sappi

• No lay-out plan

3.4.2 STATUS

• Department has made a presentation to Mbombela municipality

• The Council has confirmed its support to the project and has further agreed to contribute its minimum 10% share to the implementation of the project.

• A Task Team between the departmental officials and the municipality was established to assist with the co-ordination of the project at the end of July,2005.

• The Council has been requested to avail or look into the question of land. Council has serviced sites at Pumlani which is close to white River town.

• The Department has commissioned the Research Unit to conduct a social survey on the settlement which will be completed by end of October 2005.

• No environmental impact assessment study has been done.

• No funds have been used to date.

• The municipality has further indicated its willingness to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the province.

CHALLENGES

• Time factor - the Ngodwana project is lagging behind because the pending Land claims and private land is proving to be a challenge for Mbombela municipality and the Province.

• Capacity and the need to change paradigms from low cost housing to "suburb" or sustainable human settlement development as espoused in BNG. There are few staff members with the necessary skills and expertise to manage projects of this magnitude.

• Inadequate funding for infrastructure development is a cause for concern.

• Co-operative governance: Buy-in from other departments is still a challenge and we are working on this issue through our Cluster System in the province.

• Slow Information cascading at Municipal level especially with Technical Teams that are not fully conversant with BNG.

• The outcome of the surveys will inform the allocation of units. If there are employed people who are willing to rent the private sector resources will be linked to matching the demand.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES

Breaking New Ground involves the rnarshalling of funds from the State, Private sector (especially rental housing and bond houses or those Who can afford) and the District councils will assist in resolving bulk infrastructure.

• With regard to co-operative governance, there are constant meetings that are being held to resolve on the Mbombela issue of land

• The MEC will take the matter to the Executive council for Provincial decision making and the HOD will take matters to the HOD's forum (Tinyosi) as well as Municipal Managers meetings held bimonthly. Frequent meetings are held With the relevant pilot municipalities.

• Constant meetings by task teams will continue to enhance understanding of the "BNG Policy as well as enhance understanding of roles and responsibilities of each stake holder in the project we will Continue to play this role as the Province until there are dedicated Housing staff members in the municipality.

• Posts were crested at provincial level or this specific programme, municipalities are expected to follow suit.

• The involvement of the Cuban professionals and external service providers, assist in bridging the lack of engineering and technical skills

THANK YOU

DANKIE