Address By Mec For Housing On The Occasion Of The Presentation Of The Informal Settlement Registration Report, 26 October 2005 At The Pyramid Conference Centre

Honorable Members of the Mayoral Committee Respected Guests Ladies and Gentlemen

During the Premier's address on the occasion of the opening of the legislature, the Gauteng Provincial Government outlined its Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) as a guide to attain integrated and sustainable growth and development in our province. The Premier further asserted in a cogent argument that making Gauteng globally competitive will place us in a position to achieve an economic growth rate of 8% by 2014.

The commitment made on this occasion places responsibility on every MEC or Mayor, City or Municipal Manager, Big or Small Business, Town Planner or Cleaner to act in a manner that brings closer the reality of economic growth and the Global City Region as envisaged in our Growth and Development Strategy. Gauteng is part of the global community and therefore it can no longer afford to operate in a manner that undermines its competitive edge within the global arena. What this means to all of us is that we should shun regressive tendencies that perpetuate what we may call disjointed, disparate and isolated municipal-development-plan-syndrome; let us bring an end to unnecessary counter-productive competition amongst ourselves as government agencies.

In essence, we should honestly commit ourselves to improving urban management and governance as well as co-operation and co-ordination across spheres of government and between government and other sectors of our society. Achieving this will propel us to become a significant player in the global market. It is only when we begin to grasp this fundamental strategic shift which informs our processes and programmes that we can act in unison in pursuit of the vision of the provincial government.

Since we are conscious of the fact that the achievement of growth and development as well as the Global City Region goals can only be realized if the prevailing Gauteng urban landscape is transformed, the Gauteng Housing Department initiated the registration of informal settlements in May 2004. This process should not be viewed as something divorced from the broader National Comprehensive Human Settlement Plan commonly known as Breaking New Ground (BNG). In fact, it is part of the government's programme aimed at the eradication of informal settlements by 2014.

We are convinced that improved infrastructural development in our cities and towns as well as increased delivery of sustainable human settlements will bring much needed investment resulting in sound economic growth and job creation. This view holds true because we have always maintained the progressive position that perceive informal settlements not only as an unmitigated threat but also as an embodiment of unexploited opportunities and untapped resources that can only contribute to the growth of the City Region if properly managed.

In light of what I have just stated, I can safely assume that the significance of today's gathering is appreciated by all. We are meeting today to receive the report on the outcomes and findings of the registration of informal settlements in Gauteng which was commissioned by the Gauteng Housing Department in 2004. The report is a product of diligent work done by the officials of the Department, 392 community workers and 100 interns. During the period of work they faced many daunting challenges such as unco-operative inhabitants who refused to give information, working at night under very threatening conditions and having to dispel misinformation spread by unruly elements. Inspite of all this, these workers remained focused and determined to deliver on their assignment.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as we listen to the presentation of the report we should think on how relevant the report is to our circumstances as municipalities and how we can utilize the findings of the report to enhance our integrated planning processes. While we contemplate these issues, I would also like to urge all of you to consider the findings as the basis to control informal settlements and to address their formalization. Perhaps we should also weigh the merits and demerits of barring those structures and households not registered from benefiting from the formalization process.

However, the reality is that the control, management and prevention of proliferation of informal settlement are the responsibility of the local authorities. It is therefore incumbent upon each municipality to formulate a strategy on management of informal settlements with adequate budget to execute it.

Furthermore, all our attempts and grand plans for the improvement of conditions in these settlements will not come to fruition if you in your respective municipalities do not enforce by-laws and regulations. The whole registration process will be a futile exercise if municipalities do not play their part. Above all, the strategies we formulate and the enforcement of by-laws demand a concerted effort and coordinated action by all municipalities as opposed to ad hoc and disjointed programme of action.

Regarding the problem of locked shacks, it is our view that we should consider demolishing those shacks three months after the notice has been served. In addition, a policy of one housing opportunity for one structure in informal settlement is to be considered to avoid a free-for-all situation from becoming a reality.

Lastly, Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to express my gratitude to all the municipal and metro officials for the support and direction they provided in the execution of this work. This also goes for the workers in the employ of my department for the sacrifices they made to accomplish the assignment.