DA demands more homes for Nkangala
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga has written to Human Settlements MEC Speedy Mashilo, asking him to consider prioritising Nkangala District Municipality for housing opportunities, as the district is the most affected by the housing backlog in the province.
The province currently has a housing backlog of 275 105, with Nkangala district having the highest backlog.
Currently, the housing backlog in our three district municipalities is as follows:
• Gert Sibande district has a backlog of 75 767
• Ehlanzeni district has a backlog of 71 537
• Nkangala district has a backlog of 127 801 houses.
More and more people are migrating to Middelburg, placing an additional burden on the housing backlog.
In the department’s Annual Performance Plan for 2022/2023, the department said it will focus on a majority of priority housing development areas outside of Nkangala. That is logically unacceptable.
Between 2016 and 2022, the housing backlog increased by 128 103.
“Given the continually increasing housing backlog, it is unacceptable for the 2022/2023 financial year, the department has planned to only provide 10 757 housing opportunities across the province. That is a drop in the ocean, considering our housing backlog,” Trudie Grovè-Morgan, DA legislature member, told www.mobserver.co.za.
“Assuming the department is able to continue on this trajectory of providing 10 757 housing opportunities a year over the next six years, this would equate to a total of 64 542 housing opportunities, whilst the housing backlog could increase by another 128 103 houses or more,” she concluded.
