Housing allocation under scrutiny
'Inadequate control' over master waiting list
The master waiting list might be compromised, which could affect the housing allocation processes.
The integrity and credibility of the housing allocation process of the Swakopmund town council could be questioned due to inadequate control over the maintenance of the master waiting list.
“Errors of applicant details may not be identified and/or rectified in a timely fashion. This could lead to housing being provided to applicants who do not meet the criteria, and financial losses for the council since no formal agreement exists with the awarded beneficiaries. It can also result in a misrepresentation of the council's financial statements due to the full cost of the erven sold not being recovered,” the management committee (MC) of Swakopmund noted.
According to the MC, the controls of the housing application process are overridden, which could result in reputational damage to the council. "The process is not functioning as intended or seen as transparent. Applicants who do not meet the requirements could be approved for housing - which may not align with the objectives or purpose of the low-cost housing scheme. The lack of an audit trail to investigate and resolve disputes when these occur can also become problematic,” the MC noted.
To redeem the situation, the MC recommended that the general manager for corporate services and human capital should ensure that all applicants identified as not approved are submitted to the MC for approval and that only applicants who have been vetted and approved are added to the master waiting list.
The housing section should also review and reconcile the names and/or reference numbers of applicants on the master waiting list against all submissions made to the MC periodically - to ensure that all applicants on the list have been approved. All documents should also be adequately and completely filed to ensure a complete audit trail. “Applications for housing must be submitted to MC for approval within a reasonable time after application, and the housing section must review and reconcile the names and/or reference number of applicants on the master waiting list against all submissions made to the MC periodically.”
In addition, the housing section must implement a system-based master waiting list and grant user access to the list. “An updated master waiting list should be obtained from the ministry of urban and rural development. The additions should be reviewed to ensure the list is accurate and complete. The corporate housing officer should maintain a register of all housing applications.”
The MC also requested that the general manager for finance must also perform a review of all Build Together loan accounts and social housing loan accounts and identify those erroneously accounted for. “The cost of all erven sold to the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) must be fully recovered prior to the transfer of the erven to the federation, and all documents should be adequately and completely filed to ensure a complete audit trail," recommended the MC.
“Errors of applicant details may not be identified and/or rectified in a timely fashion. This could lead to housing being provided to applicants who do not meet the criteria, and financial losses for the council since no formal agreement exists with the awarded beneficiaries. It can also result in a misrepresentation of the council's financial statements due to the full cost of the erven sold not being recovered,” the management committee (MC) of Swakopmund noted.
According to the MC, the controls of the housing application process are overridden, which could result in reputational damage to the council. "The process is not functioning as intended or seen as transparent. Applicants who do not meet the requirements could be approved for housing - which may not align with the objectives or purpose of the low-cost housing scheme. The lack of an audit trail to investigate and resolve disputes when these occur can also become problematic,” the MC noted.
To redeem the situation, the MC recommended that the general manager for corporate services and human capital should ensure that all applicants identified as not approved are submitted to the MC for approval and that only applicants who have been vetted and approved are added to the master waiting list.
The housing section should also review and reconcile the names and/or reference numbers of applicants on the master waiting list against all submissions made to the MC periodically - to ensure that all applicants on the list have been approved. All documents should also be adequately and completely filed to ensure a complete audit trail. “Applications for housing must be submitted to MC for approval within a reasonable time after application, and the housing section must review and reconcile the names and/or reference number of applicants on the master waiting list against all submissions made to the MC periodically.”
In addition, the housing section must implement a system-based master waiting list and grant user access to the list. “An updated master waiting list should be obtained from the ministry of urban and rural development. The additions should be reviewed to ensure the list is accurate and complete. The corporate housing officer should maintain a register of all housing applications.”
The MC also requested that the general manager for finance must also perform a review of all Build Together loan accounts and social housing loan accounts and identify those erroneously accounted for. “The cost of all erven sold to the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) must be fully recovered prior to the transfer of the erven to the federation, and all documents should be adequately and completely filed to ensure a complete audit trail," recommended the MC.
Kommentaar
Republikein
Geen kommentaar is op hierdie artikel gelaat nie