The first outcome of the implementation protocol signed with Limpopo province in August 2010 was the acquisition of the land in Bela Bela on behalf of the province. Encouraged by the speed and efficiency of the land acquisition, the province has recently signed a letter of intent requesting the HDA to provide a range of services in the areas of planning, land acquisition and project packaging.
The HDA spent the week of 11 to 14 July in Limpopo visiting municipalities and provincial sector departments, as well as housing projects, and land and buildings, identified for future development. The purpose of the visit was to identify key supporting functions and programmes in the province that can be supported by the HDA in order to facilitate and fast-track the development of integrated human settlements in the province. On the final day of the visit, the HDA team shared its findings and proposed way forward with officials from the Limpopo Provincial Department of Human Settlements. After the presentations, the Department’s HOD, Mr NC Motsepe, said that he looks forward to a long-term relationship with the HDA and “I hope that some of the HDA staff will come to the department on a full-time basis”. Mr Motsepe added “the importance of this relationship is that as we engage in strategies, the focal point will include how to create sustainable job creation in the province”. He is confident that the relationship with the HDA will go a long way to ensure that Limpopo will deliver on Outcome 8 - and he hopes that other provinces will learn from this partnership.
The HDA is expected to provide the following services and support to the province:
· Land geospatial services to analyse and map human settlement trends
· Support the upgrading of informal settlements with an emphasis on access to basic services, security of tenure and improved shelter
· Facilitate dialogue to define and develop a human settlement strategy
· Support the programming, planning and coordination of the project pipeline for housing and the development of human settlements
· Project implementation of Bendor Ext 100 (mixed-income housing project)
· Land assembly for human settlements
The Agency has started developing an implementation plan for submission to the province and in the interim is assembling capacity in order to deliver on the plan once it is approved. Photographs of the visit can be viewed under the galleries section of the website.
