Housing protection law gets the nod

By Libuseng Nyaka

QWAQWA – National human settlements senior legal advisor Attorney Judgemore Tshikomba has advised new home builders and those who want to extend their homes to use builders registered by the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).

Tshikomba said this when addressing community members at Phuthaditjhaba multipurpose hall during a public hearing on the Housing Consumer Protection Bill on Wednesday August 17, 2023.
“This is so that their homes can be enrolled by the council. The council will be able to provide them with a warranty cover, meaning that anything should go wrong with the building of the home, like roof leaks those will be covered by warrant cover.

“We are providing protection so that we will be able provide a form of insurance which they would not necessarily have if those houses were not enrolled. We are pleading with our people to utilize the service of the council.”
Tshilomba said the Bill seeks to enhance the services in the current Act.

“For instance, in the current Act, the warrant cover is five years but with the roof leaks it is a one-year period. We are extending the period of the roof to two years.

“The other important thing that the Bill is introducing is that the warranty cover will kick off when the house is being constructed, meaning they do not have to wait for the home to be completed in order to be covered or to have access to the warranty cover. Should anything happen before the home is completed, it should be able to be rectified.”

The Bill was supported by a majority of the community members from across Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality.
In support of the Bill Enock Mbikwa Mlangeni expressed satisfaction with the fact that there will inspectors.

“We are very happy that there will be inspectors, we hope previous mistakes will be corrected. Our people at Intabazwe are dying of asbestos. We hope the government will employ competent people to build houses for poor people.”
But 53-year old Lindiwe Phakathi from Bethlehem was unhappy that after her parents’ house cracked, government promised to build another house but have left it in its foundation phase.

“My parents’ house had cracks and government promised to replace it; they made a foundation and left it for over 10 years now. I think it is better for them to come and remove that foundation.”

The acting chairperson of the committee Vusi Tshabalala thanked all community members who contributed and said those who could not participate can still do so in writing to the email provided.”