Picture: North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi and North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Oageng Molapisi/Supplied
By AGISANANG SCUFF
11 November 2025- The North West Provincial Government through the Department of Human Settlements has granted the JB Marks Local Municipality accreditation to perform Level 1 subsidy functions. This means that the municipality will be responsible for managing and administering housing subsidies in the area.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi said the agreement will facilitate a collaborative framework in which the provincial government and the local municipality operate as partners towards a shared commitment to service delivery and excellence.
“Housing is not merely about brick and mortar; it is the cornerstone of dignity, security and opportunity. Through this implementation protocol, we are entrusting the JB Marks Local Municipality with greater autonomy and resources to address the housing needs of our residents.
“This decentralization of power is a bold move that underscores our belief in local governance and its proximity to the people, for they better understand the needs of a community than those who pass-by its streets every day,’’ he said.
Mokgosi further said that the signing of the agreement will go a long way in addressing the housing backlog the Department of Human Settlements is currently faced with. He added that with this development, the municipality will be able to implement housing projects faster and the department will retain its role of oversight.
Sharing Mokgosi’s sentiments, the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi said that the municipality will be responsible for the management and administering of housing projects and programmes as per the level one accreditation functions, this includes budget planning, identification of housing projects and programmes, beneficiary management and housing subsidy registration among many other programmes.
Molapisi said his department has already appointed a service provider as part of its post accreditation support plan to assist the municipality with the implementation protocol.
“The department will provide the municipality with all the necessary assistance for them to be able to carry out these tasks and ensure that communities receive efficient housing services,” he said.
The Guardian 