Effects of depriving low-income employees housing scheme grants at Alfred Nzo District Municipality

Abstract

This study investigated the effets of depriving low-income employees of housing scheme grants at Alfred Nzo District Municipality, where low-income employees are excluded from housing scheme grants by current development policies. Since these employees are not eligible for housing scheme grants, they struggle to build or buy houses. Depriving such employees of the benefit of housing scheme grants has caused them to become indebted, which in turn has made owning a house an ongoing struggle. Consequently, this deprivation has resulted in such workers experiencing a financial gap in their lives. The gap is not easy to close – workers find it impossible to bridge the gap, even by the time they retire from their positions. The study used a qualitative research method and data were collected through face-to-face interviews. All COVID-19 regulations were observed. The study revealed that low-income employees are affected by being denied housing scheme grant benefits. It showed that low-income employees at Alfred Nzo District Municipality are indebted and therefore struggle to buy or build their own houses. It was also revealed that the policies that are followed when issuing housing scheme grants prevent low-income employees from benefiting from government subsidy housing (GSH). The findings suggest alternative ways that can be explored to accommodate the low-income employees by means of housing scheme grants and bridging the financial gap in their earnings, thus lessening the risk of exposing them to debt and poverty. Policymakers need to amend existing policies on housing scheme grants in order to assist low-income employees who work in rural and remote areas.

Olu phando luphonononga ifuthe lokuvinjwa kwezibonelelo zezindlu zabasebenzi abarhola kancinci kumasipala wesithili saseAlfred Nzo. Abasebenzi abafumana imivuzo ephantsi abaqukwa ekuxhamleni izibonelelo zenkqubo yezindlu ngokwemigaqo-nkqubo ekhoyo yophuhliso. Ngenxa yokuvinjwa isibonelelo sesibonelelo sezindlu, abasebenzi abafumana imivuzo ephantsi bayasokola ukwakha okanye ukuthenga izindlu. Ukuhluthwa kwabasebenzi abanjalo kwisibonelelo senkxaso yezindlu kuye kwakhokelela ekubeni babesematyaleni. Ukuba netyala kwabo kwenza ukuba nendlu kube ngumzabalazo oqhubekayo. Ngenxa yoko, oku kuvinjwa kubangele ukuba abasebenzi abanjalo bafumane umsantsa wemali ebomini babo. Isikhewu akengelula ukusivala, kwaye ngenxa yoko, naxa sele besidla umhlala-phantsi, abasebenzi baye bakufumanisa kunzima ukusivala. Uphando lusebenzise indlela yophando olusemgangathweni kwaye idatha yaqokelelwa ngodliwano-ndlebe lobuso ngobuso. Yonke imimiselo ye-COVID-19 yaqwalaselwa. Uphononongo ludize ukuba abasebenzi abarhola imivuzo ephantsi bayachatshazelwa kukuvinjwa izibonelelo zesibonelelo sezindlu. Olu phando lubonise ukuba abasebenzi abarhola kancinci kumasipala wesithili saseAlfred Nzo basematyaleni kungoko, besokola ukuthenga okanye ukuzakhela izindlu. Ngaphaya koko, kukwadizwe ukuba imigaqo-nkqubo elandelwayo xa kukhutshwa izibonelelo zenkqubo yezindlu ithintela abasebenzi abarhola imivuzo ephantsi ekubeni baxhamle kwizindlu zeNkqubo yoKwakha noPhuhliso (RDP) kunye nenkxaso yezindlu. Iziphumo zicebisa ezinye iindlela ezinokuphononongwa ukuze kuhlaliswe abasebenzi abafumana imivuzo ephantsi ngezibonelelo zenkqubo yezindlu kunye nangaphezulu; Ukuvala umsantsa kwezemali kwimivuzo yabo, ngaloo ndlela kunciphisa umngcipheko wokubachanaba ematyaleni nakwintlupheko. Abaqulunqi bemigaqo-nkqubo kufuneka babekhona kweli nyathelo, ngokulungisa imigaqo-nkqubo ekhoyo malunga nezibonelelo zenkqubo yezindlu, ukuze kuncedwe abo basebenzi banemivuzo ephantsi abasebenza emaphandleni nakwiindawo ezikude.

Ngudo iyi yo sengulusa mveledzwa dza u sa nea vhashumi vha holaho miholo ya fhasi mphomali dza dzinndu ngei kha Masipala wa Tshitiriki tsha Alfred Nzo, hune vhashumi vha holaho miholo ya fhasi vha si katelwe kha mphomali dza tshikimu tsha dzinndu nga mbekanyamaitele dza zwino dza mveledziso. Saizwi vhashumi avha vha songo tea u wana mphomali dza tshikimu tsha dzinndu, vha a kondelwa u fhata kana u renga nndu. U sa fha vhashumi mbuelo ya mphomali ya tshikimu tsha dzinndu zwi sia vhe na zwikolodo, zwine zwa fhedza zwo ita uri u koloda nndu zwi vhe vhukondi vhu sa gumi. Masiandaitwa a u sa fhiwa mphomali o bveledza uri vhashumi avho vha vhe na tshikhala tsha zwa masheleni kha matshilo avho. Tshikhala itshi u tshi vala a zwo ngo leluwa – saizwi vhashumi vha tshi wana zwi sa konadzei u tshi vala, na nga murahu ha u notha kha vhuimo havho. Ngudo yo shumisa ngona ya thodisiso ya khwanthithethivi na data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu vhathu vho livhana zwifhatuwo. Ndaulo dzothe dza COVID-19 dzo tevhedzwa. Ngudo dzo bvisela khagala uri vhashumi vha miholo ya fhasi vha a kwamea nga u hanelwa mbuelo dza mphomali ya tshikimu tsha dzinndu. Zwi sumbedza uri vhashumi vha miholo ya fhasi ngei kha Masipala wa Tshitiriki tsha Alfred Nzo vha na zwikolodo nahone vha khou kondelwa u renga kana u fhata nndu dzavho vhone vhane. Zwo dovha zwa bviselwa khagala uri mbekanyamaitele yo tevhedzwaho kha u nekedza mphomaili dza tshikimu tsha dzinndu dzi thivhela vhashumi vha miholo ya fhasi u vhuelwa nga kha mutikedzelo wa nndu wa muvhuso (GSH). Mawanwa a sumbedza dzinwe ndila dzine dza nga sedziwa u itela u katela vhashumi vha holaho miholo ya fhasi nga kha mphomali dza tshikimu tsha dzinndu na u fhungudza tshikhala tsha zwa masheleni kha mbuelo yavho, zwenezwo hu u fhungudza khohakhombo ya u nga didzhenisa kha zwikolodo na vhushai. Vhaiti vha mbekanyamaitele vha tea u khwinisa mbekanyamaitele dzi re hone dza mphomali ya tshikimu tsha dzinndu u itela u thusa vhashumi vha miholo ya fhasi vha shumaho kha vhupo ha mahayani na ha kule.