The North West Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison will conduct public hearings on the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Bill 2010; and Community Scheme Ombud Service Bill, 2010. The public hearings will be held at Masamane Community Hall in Mahikeng and at Leeuw Doomstad Hall in Wolmaranstad on the 18 March; and at Magong Community Hall in Moruleng and at Pudumoeng Community Hall in Taung on 23 March. All public hearings commence at 10h00.
The Sectional Titles Schemes Management Bill seeks to bring all housing related legislation under the administration of the Department of Human Settlements to deal with complaints from the public about problems arising from administration of sectional title schemes; remove the schemes governance provisions currently contained in the Sectional Titles Act and; provide for matters connected therewith.
The Community Scheme Ombud Service Bill seeks to establish a dispute resolution service for all community schemes being those property developments in which governance by community is involved so as to, effect to an affordable dispute resolution available to all parties involved in community schemes and give effect to custody and administration of sectional title governance documentation.
South Africa has not been having a legislatively capacitated forum to deal with dispute arising out of community scheme. So as results of that legislative vacuum; it has been thought appropriate that the Legislature develops a clear defined dispute resolution forum in the form of community scheme ombudsman so as to deal with matters of this nature.
The issue relating to management of section titles has been regulated under Section title Act 95 of 1986 which is being administrated by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. As such; the cabinet made a decision that all matters relating to housing should be placed under the Department of Human Settlement; hence the necessity to relocate from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. All matters related to housing should be placed under the Department of Human Settlements.
Members of the media are invited to attend and they should contact Namhla Luhabe at 079 527 0628.