MINISTER KUBAYI CONDEMNS THE DA FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY AND
DISHONESTY
The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi has noted with concern a
disturbing video by the Democratic Alliance (DA) that is doing rounds on various social
media platforms. The video shows the DA leader John Steenhuisen walking about at
Conradie Park, a government-sponsored social rental housing project in the City of
Cape Town, claiming that social housing is the DA’s “living policy”.
Conradie Park is a government project built in terms of a long standing national policy
which promotes rental housing in the towns and cities of the country. The Social
Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), an entity falling under the Department of
Human Settlements (DHS), funds the development and regulates the sector. The
SHRA has been in existence for 12 years, promoting spatial integration whilst at the
same time allowing households earning between R1 870 and R22 000 to access
quality affordable housing in well-located areas.
The National Department provides grant funding, through SHRA and the NHFC, to
subsidise the development of social rental housing. The NHFC is currently the largest
provider of loan funds for development of social rental housing. To date, approximately
26 875 units have been developed with a total approximate contribution by the
National Department valued at R5, 895 billion.
In the period 2019-2024, the SHRA is expected to facilitate the delivery of 18 000
social units. This includes developments in Conradie Park in Cape Town, Townlands
in Pretoria, Garena in Limpopo, and Westonaria Borwa in Gauteng.
“It is disturbing and politically expedient for the DA to claim that this housing
programme is as a result of DA policy, and Conradie Park is a project of the DA. It has
neither the policy nor funding to implement such projects. It is national government
and its entities that has done so. This project has been designated a National Priority.
We strongly condemn what the DA is doing, using public and government programmes
for narrow political gain. It displays a lack of integrity and ethic,” said Minister Kubayi.
The funding breakdown for the first phase of the Conradie Park Project, which has
been completed and occupied, is as follows:
● National Consolidated Capital Grant – R142,944 million
● NHFC Debt funding: R46,058 million
● City of Cape Town Grant Contribution : R5,980 million
● Social Housing Equity Contribution: R3 million
The total cost of developing Conradie Phase One is approximately R197, 930,623.
“The DA must not mislead South Africans and the people of the Western Cape in
particular as it is dishonest to present government programmes and projects as their
own,” added Minister Kubayi.
