The HDA has entered into a partnership agreement (IP) with the Northern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA).
The partnership with the province is aimed at improving the forward planning and implementation capacity of the province, to ensure better expenditure outcomes and impact of the human settlement delivery programmes.
On 25 and 26 March, the HDA hosted a workshop for the province at the Magersfontein Memorial Golf Course in Kimberley. The theme of the workshop was “Unlocking constraints/blockages towards delivery of sustainable human settlements”.
The workshop brought together the representatives of municipalities, and management of COGHSTA, including the acting CFO and HoD. It was wellattended by the province’s key stakeholders, both internally and externally.
The objective of the workshop was to conduct a diagnostic review of the human settlement delivery systems in the Northern Cape Province, and make recommendations for accelerated delivery of province-widesustainable human settlements through joint engagement with all key stakeholders.
Day one of the workshop started with the following background presentations and plenary discussion on them:
• Strategic overview of COGHSTA
• Human Settlements Project pipeline update
• 2011 Stats SA census, with reference to human settlements needs and trends
• Outcome 8 status report
In addition, half of day one and the whole of day two focused on breakaway sessions, plenary reporting and discussions covering the following areas:
• Commission 1: accelerated delivery of housing programmes
• Commission 2: increased provision of well-located and affordable rental accommodation
• Commission 3: improved access to basic services
• Commission 4: improved GAP/Property Market, and access to well-located, serviced land for human settlement delivery
• Commission 5: human settlements delivery systems, processes and tools, and key stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities
The workshop conducted a diagnostic assessment to identify reasons for underspending/under-performance in the delivery of human settlementsin the province.
It provided advice and made recommendations on the design of improved housing delivery systems. It also made recommendations on institutional arrangements to accelerate housing delivery, as well as the development of implementation protocols or delivery agreements in the short to medium term.
