Human settlements MEC Nono Maloyi expressed satisfaction that housing backlogs could soon be a thing of the past if his department performed like it did during this financial year.

This comes after 11500 housing units were built against the 10900 mark that had been set for the 2012-13 financial year.

Maloyi said that if this pace of delivery was maintained, the department would be able to eradicate informal settlements and clear backlogs.

Addressing a departmental management meeting, Maloyi said the performance meant that the conditional grant, often rolled back to treasury had been well spent in the North West.

“I am pleased by the manner in which we have performed in this ending financial year. We should however continue to deliver habitable quality houses to all deserving legible beneficiaries,” he said.

The MEC further emphasised that human settlement was not just about building houses as it used to be in the past.

“Our role is about transforming cities and towns and building cohesive, sustainable and caring communities with closer access to work and social amenities, including sports and recreation facilities. Through this affirmation, it has become increasingly important for us to ensure that the paradigm shift from the provision of housing to the creation of sustainable human settlements is attained.

“The concept ensures that there should be a serious integration within deferent spheres of government,” he said.

Maloyi said his department was further excited by the progress made on the eradication of informal settlements in the province, despite what he called pockets of “continuous mushrooming of such settlements”.

He said that the department would work together with various mining houses in the province to make sure that informal settlements were completely eradicated.

He added that it was important that entities like municipalities monitored and strengthened their by-laws to curb the ever recurring problem of informal settlements.

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