The Department of Human Settlements in the North West will fast track the upgrading of informal settlements in mining areas around the Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda Districts. The upgrades will form part of the major projects the department will be embarking on in this financial year.

Mushrooming of informal settlements continues to perpetuate the ongoing housing challenges across the province especially in Mining areas. The settlements are established close to the mining areas, mostly to allow migrant workers to stay close to their work place. The emergence of such settlements, creates health hazardous conditions and further perpetuate challenges of other social ills.

However the department of Human Settlements has observed the challenge such development project within the housing sector. The department appealed to different local municipalities to implement strict Bylaws to prevent further growth on such settlements.

According MEC for Human Settlement in the North West, Lenah Miga, the department has the responsibility to improve housing conditions in the informal settlements as well as to improve the well-being of the North West communities.

“It is the responsibility of the department of human settlements to provide and integrated human settlements to our communities. We must make sure that where our people live, there are basic services, closer to their where they can receive government services, where there is leisure and security. However we call achieve mission if we work closely with municipalities,” said MEC Miga.

Miga further highlighted that it is not all settlements that will be upgraded in this financial year. She said others are planes to be upgraded within the Medium Term Expenditure Framework through the Informal Settlements Upgrading partnerships Grant.

The department has vowed to double its efforts to make sure that it closes the backlog created during the lockdown period. “We will ensure that we build houses as it is our mandate, prioritise women, people with disability, youth and other vulnerable groups. We have set ourselves targets and involved stakeholders. So we are ready to deliver and make this province a home to many,” said Miga.

The department has planned to deliver 4879 units across the province for the year 2022/23.

Source: Government of South Africa