Metro councils take over housing delivery

The provision of houses will be decentralised from national and provincial governments to the major metro councils.

The six big metro councils - eThekwini, Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg - will take over responsibility for delivering housing from July.

SA Local Government Association spokesman Buhle Ngwenya said the metros would sign agreements with their provincial governments.

"From July 1, the assigned metros will receive a new conditional grant from the [central government] that will provide operational funding to assist them in the transition.

"From July1next year, the human settlements development grant will flow direct to the metros instead of through the provincial departments."

Ngwenya said the provincial departments would remain responsible for providing support, building capacity and monitoring the metros.