Housing backlog 150 years

GAUTENG: MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE ARE STILL ON GAUTENG LIST FOR NEW HOMES

- Jabulile Mbatha

It is going to take 150 years to clear the housing backlog in Gauteng if the department of human settlements continues to build, on average, only 9 000 houses a year.

This is according to the DA's human settlements portfolio committee member, Evert du Plessis, who added: "This is based on the fact that the department only delivered 43 050 (3.3%) houses in five years".

After 30 years of democracy, the department has admitted more than 1.3 million people are still on the housing list, waiting for a roof over their heads in the province.

One of the people is 55-year-old Nomusa Xhakaza, who applied in 1997, and to date has not received the house.

"For years I was told to wait and then, in 2020, when I went to [the human settlements] offices, I was told my name had been approved for housing and that it was at Kaalfontein," said Xhakaza.

"However, when it was time to move, I was told someone else had occupied my house and the story changed. They told me I had taken too long to accept the house so they gave it to someone who had paid R100 000 for it."

Xhakaza said she was told to reapply and stand at the back of the queue.