Deputy Minister Tandi Mahambehlala: Human Settlements Dept Budget Vote 2025/26

Honourable House Chairperson
Honourable Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane
Honourable Chairperson, Nox Albert Seabi and Members of the Portfolio Committee Honourable Members
Minister & Deputy Ministers present MECs, MMCs and Mayors
DG of the Department of Human Settlements, Dr Alec Moemi and DDGs
Chairpersons, Board Members and Councils of the Entities of Human Settlements
CEOs of the Entities of Human Settlements Fellow South Africans

MANDINIBULISE NGALENJIKALANGA
The first Minister of housing in a democratic South Africa – honourable Joe Slovo said; I Quote “It is not enough to remove the shackles — we must build new structures” House Chairperson,

These words, spoken by the late Joe Slovo, are not just a reminder of our past they are a directive for our present. As the first Minister of Housing in 1994, Joe Slovo understood the profundity of the task ahead: that freedom without shelter is incomplete, and that dignity cannot thrive without a home. Honourable Members, On the 26th of June 2025, we commemorated 70 years of the Freedom Charter, a historic document adopted in Kliptown, Soweto, which has since shaped our democratic dispensation. The Freedom Charter boldly declared, “There shall be houses, security and comfort”. t is against this background that the ANC-led democratic government has steered the charge to house over 4 million South Africans since 1994.

House Chairperson,

Enshrined in our progressive Constitution(section26) is the right to access adequate housing. The Freedom Charter and the Constitution laid the moral foundation for our hard-earned democracy. Our work in Human Settlements is not just about infrastructure. It is about bringing dignity to the people through housing. It is about correcting spatial injustice, advancing equity, and building a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it. We gather today with our minds still recovering from what supervened the Eastern Cape Province in June 2025. Lives were lost and families displaced. 

Once again, this revealed the scale of work ahead of us to provide adequate shelter to those in need. We acknowledge the intergovernmental efforts deployed in Mthatha and Butterworth and further thank the various first responders and stakeholders who lent a helping hand to the families. We wish to extend a special appreciation to Gift of the Givers, who provided relief for the victims and have consistently shown up for our people. A few days ago, the Gift of the Givers also showed up in Khayelitsha to provide relief to flood victims.

Honourable House Chairperson,
We are reminded that with limited resources at our disposal, we can fully deliver on our constitutional mandate through meaningful collaborations, partnerships with business, public private partnerships, communities, and non-governmental organisations. Over the last few months, we travelled across the country handing over houses and title deeds, affirming our call of housing the nation, a clarion call the progressive democratic government has made over the last thirty one years.

The department of Human Settlements has registered great strides in providing decent shelter to senior citizens, persons with disability, women, child-headed homes and military veterans. We commend provinces that have prioritised these vulnerable groups. The stories on the ground are loud and clear. Honourable members the people of South Africa have been waiting to be decently housed for many years. The joy that we are met with when we are handing over these title deeds and houses is unmatched. We are met with tears of joy, fulfilled dreams, and renewed hope in a caring government that serves the people. 

Military veterans remain a priority in our housing programme, and many have already received houses. We recognise them for their service to our country. However, challenges such as outdated or inaccurate beneficiary lists, untraceable applicants, and non-qualifying individuals continue to hinder progress. The Department of Human Settlements, and the Department of Military Veterans are working together, to verify and update the database to ensure that all qualifying veterans are provided with dignified houses.

Honourable Members,

We recognise the struggles of the missing middle. In 2024, we shared insights from the Home Loan and Mortgage Disclosure Act report, covering the period from 2018 to 2022. It revealed barriers that continue to hinder access to home ownership. These include delays due to incomplete documentation, confusion around eligibility, criteria and long waiting period for subsidy payments. Most concerning was the limited access to bonds for those earning below ten thousand rands per month, even when supported with the First Home Finance subsidy. To respond to these challenges, over the 2024 to 2029 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), we will disburse one hundred and forty thousand subsidies and loans through First Home Finance. We call on the private sector, especially financial institutions, to partner with us in providing more affordable housing stock near economic and social amenities. This will go a long way in undoing apartheid spatial planning and responding to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call to tackle inequality and housing programmes must also serve as economic catalysts.

In the 2024/2025 Financial Year, just over R4 billion in contracts were awarded to enterprises owned by women, youth and other vulnerable groups. While we welcome this progress, we acknowledge that the participation of persons with disabilities and military veterans remains low. Provinces and entities are now required to report on inclusive procurement and implement concrete transformation measures. We are driving bold change through the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority. The establishment of a Property Sector Transformation Fund will support black-owned businesses with market access. 

Strategic partnerships with REMAX and Rawson are creating opportunities for emerging black estate agents and entrepreneurs. In April 2024, Rawson launched the Rawson Transformation Franchise programme, which has already established 6 new black-owned franchises and created 47 jobs. We also commend the Community Schemes Ombud Service for transforming from a fully grant-dependent body to a self-sustaining regulator. CSOS is currently developing a national database of community schemes and aims to register 20 000 new schemes this year. The amendment of its founding legislation is underway to address previous gaps and further support transparency, education, and enforcement. 

In October 2024, we launched a national research strategy. It is our belief that informed decisions must be guided by empirical evidence. This year, we will publish two critical reports one on affordable, rental, and social housing and another on funding mechanisms for human settlements. These reports will shape future policy, from inner-city renewal to the use of alternative building technologies. Honourable members , during the youth month commemoration, we reiterated our commitment towards tackling youth unemployment through targeted programmes. The department will continue to implement the Internship Programme and award bursaries to deserving students. We will also engage SETAs to secure support for learnerships and skills development.

Honourable Members,
As we celebrate the life and legacy of former president Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela this month, we are reminded of his devotion to the power and potential of young people.as he said, open quote “I admire young people who are concerned with the affairs of their community and nation. With such youth we can be sure, that the ideals we celebrate today will never be extinguished”. President Mandela recognised that young people are not only capable they are courageous. Every generation has risen to the occasion, from the youth of the 1940s to the youth of 1976, the recent group passionately known as fees must fall and the activists of today.

House chairperson, we must therefore honour Madiba’s words by building with purpose. In 2024, the department hosted a career expo to expose young people to opportunities in the built environment and housing sector. From artisans and engineers to planners and facilitators, the expo gave learners a window into meaningful careers. In March 2025, house chairperson the department in partnership with Boland TVET college hosted another career expo under the theme “Building the Future, One Brick at a Time”

President Cyril Ramaphosa in his state of the nation address reminded us that the country is at crossroads. We can choose to continue the path of inequality, poverty, and unemployment, or we can work together to build a brighter future. The success of these programmes affirmed a simple reality – that, we must not only speak of youth development we must intentionally deliver it.

House Chairperson,
There are also bittersweet moments that will humble you. Not long ago, we visited an elderly, wheelchair-bound woman in Khayelitsha whose home had burnt down. She told us how decades of memories vanished in minutes. That encounter reminded us that for many South Africans, a single disaster can undo a lifetime of struggle. With NHBRC, we assessed the situation, and reconstruction is now underway.

Honourable Members,
We must work together to restore dignity through shelter, unlock opportunities through inclusion, and realise the promise of the Freedom Charter and our Constitution.

In closing, Honourable Chairperson, I Tandi Mahambehlala (MP) recommend that this House support Budget Vote 33 for Human Settlement.

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