Parliament - Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has blamed the delays in the building and allocation of housing for military veterans on the beneficiary list that posed challenges to her department.
"The finalisation and authentication of the beneficiary list by my department and the Department of Military Veterans has presented challenges for us. The completion of this process prior to the commencement of a military veterans’ housing project is very vital for planning," Sisulu said.
She was responding to a parliamentary question from EFF's Laetitia Arries, who asked about delays in the building and allocation of housing for military veterans and whether there were any plans to speed up the process.
Sisulu said where her department proceeded to build and complete a project while the approved list had not been finalised, houses have been invaded by military veterans who did not qualify for these houses.
She also said provincial structures of the South African Military Veterans Association in most cases disputed the beneficiary lists submitted by the Department of Military Veterans.
The minister conceded that the Military Veterans Programme has not been performing as expected.
"We are extremely concerned about the slow pace of delivery to our military veterans."
Sisulu said they had on May 3 convened a National Military Veterans Dialogue to exchange
views and dialogue around finding solutions to challenges encountered in the provision of housing for military veterans.
"It has become evident to me that we have not moved far enough with delivery on this programme.
"I will place the matter on top of the agenda of our MINMEC ( a forum for a minister and MECs) and it will remain a standing item until we make satisfactory progress on this matter," she said.