By Nkhensani Chauke
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has pledged support to the Free State Province in achieving its 2024-2029 housing delivery target.
During her address to the Free State Department of Human Settlements and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality as part of a nationwide assessment of municipal and provincial human settlement program performance, Simelane said the crucial need for collaboration between provincial departments to tackle the housing backlog and ensure sustainable settlements for Free State citizens.
Simelane acknowledged progress in the province, adding that some contractors are already on site. However, she expressed dissatisfaction with the numerous incomplete projects.
“We are gearing ourselves for the current 2024-2029 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) to deliver on our mandate. With our limited budget, we are aligning our plans to ensure that we effectively use our allocated budget,” said Simelane
She stressed the critical role of contractors in housing delivery, cautioning those awarded projects to fulfill their commitments.
“We will not let go of those contractors and officials who have let our people down. There shall be consequences. A delayed project means one senior citizen is denied their constitutional right to adequate shelter,” Simelane said.
MEC for Human Settlements, Tebogo Mokoena, echoed Simelane’s sentiments, highlighting her commitment to visiting metros quarterly to ensure housing and service delivery targets are met.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that every cent allocated by the department is used to improve the lives of deserving households.
Challenging Simelane further, Mokoena urged her to visit the province every two months to keep it on track with its commitments.
He also acknowledged budget constraints as a major challenge, particularly affecting the informal settlements upgrading program.
“This will significantly impact our programs, especially the informal settlements upgrading initiative. However, progress is being made on several previously stalled projects, including G-Hostel and Dark and Silver City. Qualifying beneficiaries are expected to move into completed units during the 2025/2026 financial year,” Mokoena said.
The Free State has faced difficulties in completing housing projects due to multiple contractor changes caused by non-performance, vandalism on abandoned sites, community disruptions, and non-compliance issues.
Despite these challenges, the province has made remarkable progress, reporting in January 2025 that it delivered 5,025 serviced sites—far exceeding the 1,755 targets for the 2024/2025 period.
Simelane is set to return to the province to hand over completed units at the Dark and Silver City Community Residential Units, part of the Vista Park integrated human settlements project.
The initiative will provide thousands of housing opportunities, including Breaking New Ground (BNG) units, social housing, First Home Finance, and student accommodation.
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