Human Settlements Budget Vote Report; Brazil Study Tour Report; Committee Report on DHS Quarterly Performance

Video Annual Performance Plan (APP) of Government Departments & Entities 2026/27 The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements met on 6 May 2026 to consider a range of internal committee matters, including reports before the Committee and preparations relating to the Human Settlements Budget Vote. The Committee formally adopted the agenda and proceeded to consider the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2026. Members proposed amendments and agreed that they would be effected. The minutes were subsequently adopted with amendments. The Committee thereafter considered and adopted the minutes of the meeting held on 23 April 2026 without substantive changes. During this discussion, the Chairperson reported that a letter had been submitted to the Standing Committee on Appropriations requesting additional funding for the First Home Finance (FHF) programme. The minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2026 were also considered, during which Members requested that written submissions concerning the Housing Development Agency and related recommendations be attached as addenda to ensure proper tracking of matters raised during deliberations. The Committee agreed to incorporate these submissions into a broader tracking mechanism, after which the minutes were adopted. During deliberations, Members proposed that the Committee introduce a structured mechanism to monitor the implementation of resolutions arising from meetings. It was suggested that the Committee Secretary maintain a record of key matters requiring follow-up and report periodically on progress. The Chairperson supported the proposal and recommended that feedback be provided on a quarterly basis. Committee support staff confirmed that an appropriate framework could be developed, and Members agreed to adopt this approach. The Committee then considered the report on the Study Tour to Brazil, which highlighted lessons relating to integrated urban planning, tenure security, stakeholder partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms. Members proposed amendments to improve clarity, including correcting terminology, refining references to Brazilian programmes, and translating Portuguese terminology where appropriate. Additional observations relating to title deeds and social housing were also incorporated. The report was adopted with amendments and approved for submission to Parliament for tabling. The Committee thereafter considered the Third Quarter Report of the Department of Human Settlements and its entities. Key observations and recommendations were presented, including concerns regarding emergency housing funds, oversight of entities, the balance between compliance and service delivery, data integrity, and underperformance in municipal spending. Members further raised issues relating to accountability, verification of performance information, and capacity constraints within informal settlement programmes. Amendments were proposed to strengthen clarity regarding fiscal reforms affecting metropolitan grants, and the report was subsequently adopted. The Committee then turned to the report on the Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Budget of the Department and its entities. Concerns were raised regarding audit findings, the financial sustainability of entities such as the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), and weaknesses in performance reporting. Members expressed dissatisfaction with the draft report, indicating that it did not sufficiently reflect engagement with departmental entities and lacked adequate analysis of departmental priorities, financial allocations and legislative frameworks. It was argued that the report required more detailed analysis to guide parliamentary debate and to ensure that it accurately reflected Committee discussions. Members proposed that the report be substantially revised to better reflect deliberations and include more comprehensive analysis of financial and governance matters, emphasising that the document would form part of Parliament’s formal public record. The Chairperson agreed that the report required further work and directed that all Members’ inputs be incorporated into a revised version. Committee support staff acknowledged shortcomings in the report and undertook to revise it comprehensively in consultation with Members, while it was indicated that the amended version would need to return to the Committee for reconsideration and formal adoption before submission to Parliament. Members agreed that an additional meeting would be scheduled for this purpose. Further discussion emphasised the importance of coordination among support staff, with the Chairperson stressing the need for effective collaboration in preparing high-quality reports and for revised documents to be circulated well in advance to allow sufficient time for review. Before the meeting concluded, Members raised the need for urgent follow-up with the Standing Committee on Appropriations regarding the Committee's request for additional funding for the First Home Finance programme. In closing, the Chairperson thanked Members for their constructive engagement and reiterated the importance of collective responsibility and continuous learning in fulfilling the Committee's oversight mandate, emphasising that the Committee's work remained focused on improving service delivery and ensuring accountability within the human settlements sector.