Gauteng Human Settlements rebuts claim of 1.4 million housing backlog

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng’s Human Settlements Department is pushing back against public perception that the province's housing backlog sits at 1.4 million.

The department said this number represents the total entries on the national housing needs register, which is often inflated with ineligible applicants.

According to the department, the actual backlog is determined by the housing subsidy system, and currently stands at approximately 293,000 approved beneficiaries. 

It said the remaining 1.4 million applicants on the National Housing Needs Register (NHNR) are still undergoing verification, and many may be disqualified for multiple reasons, including already owning property, previously benefiting from a government housing program, or earning above the income threshold.

The department's Tahir Sema explained: “Despite financial and land constraints, together with high immigration, Gauteng continues to lead in housing delivery. Last year we built over 7200 homes, serviced hundreds of sites, relocated families from informal settlements and registered thousands of title deeds.”