Over 10 000 get houses

The department of housing in Limpopo recently handed over 10 527 new RDP houses costing R1.5 billion to people living below the poverty line.

Most of these beneficiaries have not had a roof over their heads for the better part of their lives, MEC Makoma Makhurupetje said.

This year the department has set aside R1.4 billion to address issues related to human settlements, R290 million for cooperative governance and R496 million for traditional affairs.

“The human settlement development grant for this financial year was R1.208 billion and the rollover budget was R394 million.

“The combined budget for the year 2016/17 and the rollover is R1.6 billion,” said Makhurupetje in her budget speech at Lebowakgomo recently.

The department had set a target to build 12 980 units this financial year.

So far 10 463 houes had been completed, which had benefitted over 41 000 people who previously did not have housing, she said.

Makhurupetje said work was in progress on the remaining 2 517 units.

In an effort to empower traditional leaders in the province, Makhurupetje, who is also a member of the national executive committee of the ANC Women’s League, increased the housing budget for traditional leaders.

She said that as Chapter 9 of the constitution recognises traditional leadership as an institution that holds custodianship over matters of culture, custom and heritage the department had set aside R22.5 million for the refurbishment of traditional councils in the province.

An amount of R10 million was also set aside to purchase furniture for traditional councils.

A further R20 million was allocated for the refurbishment of infrastructure for kings and queens.