Tabling the provincial 2020/21 budget on Tuesday, MEC Motshidisi Koloi, said the department is committed to the provision of adequate housing and improved quality living environments.

She told members of the provincial legislature that the mushrooming of informal settlements is a concern and that the province currently sits with 161 informal settlements.

With millions of South Africans already bearing the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic and losing their livelihoods, Koloi told Free State MPLs during a virtual sitting that they will be working closely with municipalities to fast-tract measures to develop informal settlements.

Her statement on the province's plans to develop informal settlements comes amidst a nationwide outcry over lack of houses following a video of a Western Cape man who was dragged naked out of his shack in Khayelitsha.

The video, depicting Cape Town law enforcement officers dragging Bulelani Qolani naked out of his shack on July 1 before destroying his home, sent shock waves across the country when it went viral on social media - with many users drawing attention to how informal settlements dwellers' rights are infringed.

"Madam Speaker, Covid-19 experience has shown us that our attention needs to be much more focused on planning and upgrading informal settlements. In the current financial year, we will provide support to Matjhabeng in Welkom, and Masilonyana in Theunissen with land acquisition for human settlements development purposes and further develop these portions of land so that municipalities are able to curb further eruption of informal settlements. These portions of land will be developed into serviced sites for communities here," said Koloi.

Presenting her department's R1.132 billion budget, she further drew attention to the province's high need for job creation.

She announced that while her department intends to create employment opportunities through the building of houses and rental units, an amount of R2,166 million is allocated for implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in human settlements projects. She said additional 700 work opportunities are expected to be created through this programme.

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