Gauteng exceeds housing targets, clarifies backlog figures

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng’s Human Settlements Department is tackling rapid urbanisation and fiscal limitations head-on, announcing it has surpassed its housing delivery targets for the 2024/25 financial year.

The department said it has delivered over 7,200 housing units, relocated over 500 households, and registered more than 6,200 title deeds. According to the department, these results show that it is not only building houses but also creating sustainable communities.

READ: Gauteng Human Settlements rebuts claim of 1.4 million housing backlog

In an effort to clarify its housing delivery system, the Human Settlements Department addressed the widely cited figure of a 1.4 million housing backlog. It explained that this number is not accurate, as it represents the total names on the National Housing Needs Register, which includes many unverified and ineligible applicants.

The department’s Tahir Sema explained, “The true backlog is determined after subsidy approvals, and at present, 293,000 beneficiaries have been approved on the Housing Subsidy System.”

To ensure a fair process, Sema says a strict priority list for housing allocation is followed. “Others are disqualified if they already own a home, have benefited before, are above the threshold, or provide incorrect details.”

In addition to housing units, the department is expanding its efforts through initiatives like the Rapid Land Release Programme and the upgrading of informal settlements.