The HDA signed an Implementation Protocol (IP) with the Northern Cape government on 22 August 2012, which enables the Agency to provide land assembly and project management support to the province.
Good progress has also been made with the Joe Slovo project at the N2 Gateway, where six families each with elderly members, took possession of their new homes on 16 August. The handover process, and the general recent success of the project, has a lot to do with the HDA’s commitment to meaningful consultation with residents and a broader commitment among stakeholders to overcome political differences.
In October, the total number of rectified houses in Soweto-on-Sea/Veeplaas hit the 1 020 mark.
The National Upgrading Support Programme (NUSP) was created by the National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS) to provide assistance to provinces and municipalities in their efforts to upgrade informal settlements. The first NUSP newsletter has been issued to keep stakeholders informed about the programme, as well as informal settlement upgrade projects and issues.
On 11 and 12 September, the HDA and the National Association of Social Housing Organisations (NASHO) hosted a two-day workshop, “Reviving Our Inner Cities: Social Housing and Urban Regeneration in South Africa”.