By Tauhierah Salie
Amid housing concerns in the Western Cape, applications for Individual Subsidy will open on Friday, 1 April 2022.
The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements explained in a statement that it is aimed at households with a combined income of R0 and R3500. This subsidy can only be received once.
Just over R200,000 can be used to: buy an existing house; buy a house on a plot-and-plan basis, or to finish an incomplete house. These funds will be paid directly to the seller, conveyancer, financier or contractor.
“There are various housing subsides available from the Department that does not require citizens to wait for a government housing development in your area. Assistance provided via the Individual Subsidy allows residents to, for example, identify a house for sale for the subsidy amount, or use it as a top-up, to purchase a home,” read the statement.
Applications open annually during April and close once the quota is filled where priority is given to vulnerable citizens.
“As there is a limited budget, assistance with this subsidy is only provided once a year and is allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Priority will be given to applicants who are elderly or have special needs (ie. disabled).
“The Individual Subsidy is one of the subsidy programmes that can assist Western Cape residents with a housing opportunity, without waiting for a specific government housing development to be built in an area. The subsidy can be used to purchase an existing house or to build a house on a vacant plot owned by the applicant” commented Ms Phila Mayisela, Acting Head of Department.
According to the department, to qualify for this subsidy residents must :
- Be registered on the housing demand database (ie. waiting list) at your nearest municipality;
- Must have been on the housing database for a minimum period of 10 years in Cape Town, and 5 years in areas outside of Cape Town;
- Be a South African citizen or have a permanent residency permit;
- 18 years or older;
- Be married or living with a partner;
- Be single or divorced, and have proven financial dependents living with you permanently;
- Not have owned a property before;
- Earn a monthly household income of R3500 or less, before deductions;
- Not have received a housing subsidy from government before.
“Western Cape residents who are still on the waiting list, meet the qualification criteria, and are interested in applying for the Individual Subsidy, are urged to submit their applications from 01 April at the Department of Human Settlements offices in Cape Town.”
For more information visit the departments website. Find the application here.
In response to VOC, the department further acknowledged that the figures on their latest announcement differ to that of the website:
“Kindly note that the confirmed subsidy amount is R202 888 – per attached brochure to the release. This will take effect from 1 April 2022. The R168K is the current and previous subsidy amount that will be amended from 1 April. We are attending to the website update – apologies for any confusion.”
VOC
