Elliotdate — Strategies to fast-track rural housing delivery in the Eastern Cape will be the main focus of a Rural Housing Summit to be held this week.

Department of Housing and Local Government spokesperson Phumlani Mdolomba said the two-day summit, which kicks off on Thursday, will focus on rapid land release, land for asset ownership and the renewal of the rural residential property market.

It will also focus on alternative technologies and indigenous knowledge systems in material supply and construction methods to speed up delivery.

"The deliberations and outcomes are expected to feed into and enhance the draft provincial strategic framework for creating sustainable human settlements from this year [2008] to 2014 which is currently under broad consultation in the province," said Mr Mdolomba.

In November last year, Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu had tasked the National Home Builders Regulation Council (NHBRC) to conduct an audit of a major Eastern Cape housing project in a bid to prevent poor workmanship.

The move followed complaints raised by residents to the minister during a Presidential imbizo two months before.

As promised during the event, Ms Sisulu had returned to Ugie with Power Construction, the company responsible for building homes in the town.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the Eastern Cape MEC for Housing Tokozile Xasa and the Mayors from the Elundini Municipality and Ukahlamba District Municipality, Ms Sisulu commended the company for its willingness to return to Ugie.

Minister Sisulu told the community that she had asked the NHBRC to carry out a forensic audit of about 2000 homes as "government is committed to providing quality homes that can become tradable assets to the people."

Last October, Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela, Housing and Local Government MEC Thoko Xasa, Local Government Head of Department, Nandi Sishuba and other government officials had visited a factory which manufactures low-cost housing materials in Germany.

"We are engaging the company to determine if they are indeed in a position to assist by providing structures that will meet the necessary standards required to assist us in eradicating mud-schools," said Ms Xasa at the time.

The delegation was assessing the possibility of an international private public partnership with a German company to provide housing and investment in the Eastern Cape, in order to meet the needs of the housing project.

The Sustainable Settlement project is about an integrated approach to housing development which includes providing water and sanitation, schools and recreational facilitates backed by adequate infrastructure development.