By Nosihle Shelembe
Pretoria – Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says her department will focus on building houses for military veterans next month.
“The policy instrument for building houses for military veterans was approved in 2006 and not a single house stands to attest that we have a housing policy for military veterans.
“This is a sad state of affairs and we need to correct that immediately,” Minister Sisulu said.
Speaking at the Annual Govan Mbeki Awards at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Thursday night, Minister Sisulu called on the department to build 5 000 houses for military veterans in September.
“It is a basic tribute they deserve and is a responsibility we need to live up to,” she said.
Government will oversee the building of 1.5 million homes and informal housing upgrades over the next five years.
“This is a very tough call, but we are up to it. Our departments and entities are reshaping, understanding that we are in the fifth gear,” Minister Sisulu said.
The Govan Mbeki Awards celebrate the achievements of people, who served South Africa by ensuring its citizens live in security and comfort.
Minister Sisulu recognised the late community activist Patrick Magebhula for assisting the department in shaping its policies.
“Today we honour him as an internationally recognised champion and pioneer of the empowerment of the poor and acknowledge his outstanding contribution.
“We and his broader family of the Federation of Urban Poor and SDI [Shack / Slum Dwellers International] will have to double our collective effort to further his work to ensure that his life passion was not in vain,” Minister Sisulu said.
Magebhula died on August 4. - SAnews.gov.za
