Engagements on Informal Settlements Bill
11 October 2012
Municipalities and other stakeholders at the Gert Sibande Region will continue to robustly debate on the Eradication, Prevention and Control of Informal Settlements Bill. The Bill approved by the Executive Council in June for publication aims to deal with challenges of informal settlements bedevilling the province given its rural nature. The Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements met municipalities and other role players this week at Msukaligwa Local Municipality – Civic Centre in Ermelo to solicit and share views about the envisaged legislation.
Participants are the session requested to be given more time to engage on the Bill with a view to make informed inputs. The Bill – in its current form – require all stakeholders within the built environment to familiarise themselves and participate through public consultations and making valuable inputs to enrich the legal blue print. It was concluded that the District Municipality would facilitate the process of forwarding the Bill for consideration to local municipalities ahead of the next session. Respective municipalities are expected to make presentations and inputs during the next engagement for a comprehensive consolidation.
The Department has so far embarked on stakeholder engagements throughout the province. The municipalities under Ehlanzeni District Council, via Nkomazi, Thaba Chweu, Umjindi, Mbombela and Bushbuckridge as well as the District itself were met on the 25th July 2012. Under Nkangala District Municipality, all local municipalities namely, Dr JS Moroka, Thembisile Hani, Victor Khanye, eMalahleni, Emakhazeni and Steve Tshwete, as well as the district itself – were met on the 3rd August 2012. Out of the Province’s 23 municipalities, a total of 15 have been met to date.
The MEC is in a process of convening an imbizo on the bill with the House of Traditional Leaders. It is befitting that the traditional authorities be met by the Department through its highest office, the office of the MEC. Upon the conclusion of Departmental consultative meetings, the bill will be introduced to the Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements for further processing. The legislature shall then develop its own consultative processes, assisted by the departmental officials with a view to promulgate the Bill into an Act.
Enquiries:
Mr Freddy Ngobe
Tel: 013 766 6014
Cell: 082859 4630
Issued by MPUMALANGA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
