North West MEC for Human Settlements Oageng Molapisi has called for stronger accountability and improved collaboration with municipalities to address housing delivery challenges and ensure communities receive quality homes.
Molapisi made the call following a two-day departmental strategic planning session held in Rustenburg last week, where officials assessed existing challenges and discussed strategies to accelerate the delivery of sustainable human settlements across the province.
He emphasised that access to adequate housing is a constitutional right and that departmental programmes must translate into tangible improvements in people’s living conditions.
“Our vision of creating sustainable human settlements must go beyond the pages of our strategic documents and become a lived reality for our people. It must be reflected in the houses we deliver, the informal settlements we upgrade, the title deeds we hand over and the dignity we restore to our communities,” said Molapisi.
The MEC revealed that the department had implemented corrective measures following findings by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). These measures included terminating contracts with contractors who failed to meet required quality standards or complete projects within stipulated timeframes.
He added that the department had aligned its procurement strategy with Section 217 of the Constitution to assess bidders’ capacity, capability and administrative compliance. Contractors who fail to meet the requirements may be disqualified or have their contracts terminated.
Molapisi stressed that housing projects must be guided by clear accountability measures, defined timeframes and effective monitoring mechanisms to improve implementation and prevent further delays.
He also called for stronger cooperation between departmental officials, municipal inspectors and the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) to ensure that houses meet the required standards and have access to essential services before being handed over to beneficiaries.
The MEC cautioned against fragmented planning and a culture of blame among stakeholders, warning that a lack of cooperation ultimately affects communities waiting for housing and basic services.
He emphasised that housing delivery should not be measured solely by the number of houses constructed, but also by the quality of homes, access to essential services and the long-term sustainability of communities.
Molapisi called for vulnerable groups, including older persons, people with disabilities and child-headed households, to be prioritised in housing programmes. He also highlighted the importance of involving people with disabilities in housing planning and beneficiary selection processes.
He said sustainable human settlements must extend beyond the provision of houses to include community facilities, essential services and economic opportunities.
Molapisi urged all stakeholders to take collective responsibility for implementing housing programmes effectively and ensuring that departmental plans translate into measurable improvements in the lives of communities across the North West province.
