Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane says government is reviewing housing waiting lists to ensure those who registered first are prioritised.
She said this as she handed over 140 housing units at the Clayville Mega Project, in Ekurhuleni.
Simelane says to fight the housing backlog, the department is working through a housing register of more than 2.5 million people nationwide and will deploy technical teams to help residents verify and update their details.
“There have been discrepancies in our register, sometimes those who came earlier would receive houses late, those who registered late would receive early, but we took a conscious decision with the MECs that we must go back to our housing register and take a policy position that each and every province must go back to the list and look for the early entrants, those are 1996, 98 and wipe them. Our intention is to move into the register which has about 2.5 to 2.6 million people who still need houses but start right at the beginning.”
Clayville Mega Project Handover | Government restores dignity through housing delivery
Today, Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane, Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara, and Ekurhuleni MMC for Human Settlements Nsizwa Mekgwe handed over more than 140 housing… pic.twitter.com/fti80g3LhL
— Department of Human Settlements (@The_DHS) June 10, 2026
Clayville Mega Project Handover | Government restores dignity through housing delivery
Today, Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane, Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara, and Ekurhuleni MMC for Human Settlements Nsizwa Mekgwe handed over more than 140 housing… pic.twitter.com/ElNNVHfp8h
— Department of Human Settlements (@The_DHS) June 10, 2026
One of the beneficiaries, Jessica Khewu, says the unit will change her family’s life and free them from the monthly burden of paying rent.
“The process was a difficult one because we had to wait for some time, but eventually we are here and it’s great to finally have a place and know that you are finally settled somewhere instead of going up and down. I was living here at Winnie Mandela zone 10 and since I’m now here this will be of great impact because at least now, I have found a place that’s more settled, a place that’s more permanent compared to staying there and having to pay rent whereas sometimes it’s difficult to pay rent.”
