Housing beneficiaries will soon be able to apply online for government housing subsidies and be informed about the outcome of their applications.

This comes after the Department of Human Settlements partnered with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to develop the National Digital Human Settlements Management System.

Human Settlement Minister Thembi Simelane announced the new initiative when she presented the department’s R101.2 billion budget for 2025/26 in the National Assembly earlier this week.

Simelane said the department developed the Housing Subsidy System a few years ago, which is a portal meant to serve as a housing needs register database and information system.

“However, it is a legacy system which is not compatible with the latest technologies and lacks the critical component of citizen engagement,” she said.

Simelane also said her department, working with SITA, was in the process of developing the National Digital Human Settlements Management System, which will modernise the way they manage human settlements data and improve coordination across departments.

“This initiative will address current inefficiencies by providing a centralised platform for better resource management and service delivery. This system aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the management of construction projects, ensuring the timely completion of projects and accurate allocation of resources.”

The minister said the integrated software solution aimed to streamline and automate various processes related to managing human settlements.

“It will help government housing authorities, urban planners, and city administrators to efficiently manage housing, land, infrastructure development, housing beneficiary lists, and related aspects of human settlements.

“The development of a comprehensive, integrated online national digital Human Settlements Management System will further enable citizens to apply online for a housing product and be informed about the outcome of their applications,” she added.

Simelane revealed that the Housing Development Agency has also developed and piloted a digital platform to monitor beneficiary experience of those who have received a housing subsidy from the state.

“This allows us to understand the impact of state subsidies through a spatial transformation framework of analysis.”

In its 2025/26 annual performance plan, the department said the current National Needs Register was providing portals for housing application, status tracking, and subsidies.

However, there was slow pace of adapting to new technology and implementing digital transformation.

It said opportunities existed in the “creation of a digital platform for human settlements delivery to streamline housing applications and approval and management process improving efficiency and accessibility while enhancing transparency and user engagement”.

Simelane stated that her department plans to build 41,944 housing units, create 32,250 fully serviced sites, develop 4,282 units through the First Home Finance programme, construct 3,000 social housing units, and eradicate 8,047 mud houses in the 2025/26 financial year.

“Central to us achieving these targets, is building, and sustaining partnerships with strategic stakeholders within the human settlement value chain,” she said.

She also said her visits to six provinces had showed that there were similar challenges across the whole country.

“These are informal settlements, unfinished or stalled housing projects, budget constraints and its negative impact on the housing delivery chain and a housing backlog. The challenges we have identified are not insurmountable,” she said.

Simelane said they would work with implementing agents, strategic partners, and the communities to make a dent in the housing backlog and prioritise the completion of all the blocked projects.

“We must complete what we had started and prioritise the completion of existing housing projects. As a result, over the next five years, the department’s delivery efforts will be driven by a focused agenda that seeks to consolidate past investments, respond to urgent needs, and deepen our impact.”

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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