Dispelling claims of underspending by the WC Department of Infrastructure

Statement by Minister Tertuis Simmers: Dispelling claims of underspending by the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure

As South Africa approaches the election polls, it is important to address the misinformation circulating about the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure's human settlements branch. I am concerned by the spread of inaccurate information and I want to set the record straight.

Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, the department spent 100% of the available funds each year on its Human Settlement Development Grant (HSDG) on four occasions. This means that we spent an average of 99.2% of the HSDG budget during this period.

A media statement was issued by this department on 17 February 2024, which provided clarity on factors that might have led to underspending for the 2023/24 financial year. It is important to note that despite these challenges, the department achieved 100% HSDG expenditure for the last financial year. This was presented at the Human Settlements MinMec sitting which was attended by all provinces on 26 March 2024. The Western Cape was not flagged as one of the provinces with a preliminary performance below 90%, unlike elsewhere.

Despite challenges in the infrastructure sector, such as development on unlawfully occupied land and instances of complexities within communities or criminal interference, the department has persevered. Even in the face of in-year budget cuts, the department remains committed to its goals.

In the period between 2019 and 2024, the department provided 46,000 housing opportunities for qualifying beneficiaries in the province, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to providing the people of our province with the opportunities to live safely, securely and with dignity.

We will continue to deliver these opportunities, despite the shrinking fiscal environment which we face.