Analysis of Human Settlements Budget 2014/15

1. VOTE 31: HUMAN SETTLEMENTS BUDGET ANAYLYSIS 2014/15 MR.LEEPO TSOAI 01 JULY 2014

2. OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION • INTRODUCTION • OVERVIEW OF THE 2013/14 FINANCIAL YEAR PER PROGRAMME • ALIGNMENT OF POLICY PRIORITIES 2014/15 • BUDGET ANALYSIS 2014/15 PER PROGRAMME • KEY ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMITTEE

3. INTRODUCTION • The Constitution of the Republic of South African, 1996 provides a fundamental framework for the legislative mandate of the Department of Human Settlements. • Section 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 and housing Act (Act No.107 of 1997 are still considered the foundation for the operational models as well as the spending focus of the Department of Human Settlements • The objective of the Department of Human Settlements is to, among other, determine finance, promote, coordinate, communicate and monitor the implementation of housing policy and human settlements • The comprehensive housing plan Breaking New Ground (BNG) of 2004, is the cornerstone in the implementation of integrated and sustainable human settlements in South Africa • The BNG advocates a vision of human settlements that provides amenities to communities, whereby people will live next their places of work with access to transportation, their places of worship, where children have access to playing facilities, educational facilities, and etc

4. ALIGNMENT TO POLICY PRIORITIES KEY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2013/14 – 2014/15 • • Accelerate the delivery of housing as a key strategy for poverty alleviation, • Utilizing provision of housing as a major job creation strategy, • Ensuring property can be accessed by all as an asset for wealth creation and empowerment, • Leveraging growth in the economy, • Combating crime, promoting social cohesion and improving quality of life for the poor, • Supporting the functioning of the entire single residential property market to reduce duality within the sector by breaking the barriers between the first economy residential property boom and second economy slump, • Utilizing housing as an instrument for the development of sustainable human settlements, in support of spatial restructuring.

5. BUDGET ANALYSIS 2014/15 PER PROGRAMME BUDGET ALLOCATIONS OVER THE MTEF

6. ALLOCATION PER MAIN PROGRAMME

7. ALLOCATION PER PROGRAMME Programme Analysis The budget analysis uses both the nominal and real value of allocations to programmes and sub programmes. The nominal value refers to a value expressed in money term, i.e. a currency such as Rand value. The real value, however, adjusts nominal value to remove effects of price changes over time, i.e. the effects of inflation.  Real increases/ decreases in allocations will, therefore, take into account the effects of inflation on the monetary allocation to a programme or sub programme. Programme 1: Administration Administration aims to provide strategic leadership, administrative and management support services to the Department. During the 2014/15 financial year this Programme receives an allocation of R425.9 million. This allocation reflects a 0.83 percent increase in nominal terms and 5.06 percent decline in real terms. Expenditure is dominated by both the Departmental Management and Corporate Services sub programmes, which constitutes 72.5 per cent of the overall programme allocation.

8. Programme Analysis Continues…… Programme 2: Human Settlement Policy, Strategy and Planning The purpose of the programme is to manage the development and compliance with human settlements sector delivery Frameworks and oversee integrated Human Settlements strategic planning services. Although Programme 2 constitutes the smallest portion of the departmental allocation (0.3%). Expenditure in Programme 2 increased from R84.1 million the previous year to R89.4 million the current financial year, resulting in a 6.30 per cent nominal increase and 0.10 per cent real increase. The sub-programme Human Settlements Strategy and Planning, dominates expenditure in Programme 2, with a budget of R53.7 million, representing an increase of 6.55 per cent in nominal terms or 0.33 per cent in real terms. This is mainly due to the strengthening of the planning process in the provinces and municipalities to develop a programmatic approach to human settlements development planning.

9. Programme Analysis Continues…… Programme 3: Programme Delivery Support This programme oversees and supports the execution of human settlements programmes and projects Compared to the previous financial year, budget allocation for Programme 3 increased from R 261.7 million in 2013/14 to R298.5 million. There has been an increase in the utilisation of consultants who were sought during the implementation of strategic programmes such as National Upgrading Support Programme; also rolling out of sanitation facilities through the RHIG programme This also includes providing technical support to 53 municipalities through the national upgrading support programme. Expenditure on consultants and professional services increase from R107.1 million the previous financial year to R131.1 million in 2014/15, resulting in a nominal increase of 22.4 per cent (real 15.26 per cent)

10. Programme Analysis Continues…… • Programme 4: Housing Development Finance • The purpose is to manage and support Human Settlements Grant Management services, mobilise sectoral resources and identify possible discriminating lending patterns by financial institutions • For 2014/15, Programme 4 received an allocation of about R29.7 billion compared to R27.4 billion in the 2012/13 financial year. This reflects an increase of 8.08 per cent in nominal terms and 1.77 per cent increase in real terms. • The bulk of expenditure in Programme 4 is in the form of transfers, i.e. 96.7 per cent of the budget is transferred to provinces, municipalities (through four conditional grants), as well as to the departmental entities. • Human Settlements Development Grant (R17.9 billion) • Urban Settlements Development Grant (R10.2 billion) • Rural Household Infrastructure Grant (R113.1 million) • Municipal Human Settlements Capacity Grant (R300 million) • The four types of grants located in Programme 4 are critical for giving effect to the commitments articulated both in the 2014 State of the Nation Address, as well as Outcome 8.

11. Issues for consideration by Committee • ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION: • Considering the challenges identified in the USDG, the Committee needs to ascertain whether these six metros are ready to take over the housing function and what support mechanism is in place to ensure that this programme is well implemented? • Whether there are measures taken to ensure that the expenditure and performance for RHIG is improved in its current trends which were displayed in the above section? • Considering that the Municipal Human Settlement Development Capacity Grant is a new grant in the system, the Committee needs to ascertain whether the DHS has a clear plan to ensure that this grant is effectively implemented, • The Department should explain whether there is strategy to address housing backlog while at the same time eliminating shacks. For instance about more than 3 million houses have been built but there is too little impact in the reduction of shacks, • Does the Department have clear plans to ensure that the new grants are effectively implemented and the required outcome is achieved? • The accreditation of municipalities has been slow to date, with the achievement of level 3 accreditation still a major challenge for municipalities. SALGA reports that despite a clear framework with respect to accreditation of municipalities to perform certain functions, implementation requires more attention – especially cooperation between the provincial and municipal spheres of government.