Housing Act, 1997 (Act No. 107 of 1997)

In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates—

"Code"

means the National Housing Code contemplated in section 4;

"Constitution"

means the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996);

"Department"

means the Department of Housing;

"Director-General"

means the Director-General: Housing;

"Fund"

means the South African Housing Fund referred to in section 11(1);

"head of department"

means the officer of a provincial administration in charge of the department of a provincial administration responsible for the administration of housing matters in a province;

"housing development"

means the establishment and maintenance of habitable, stable and sustainable public and private residential environments to ensure viable households and communities in areas allowing convenient access to economic opportunities, and to health, educational and social amenities in which all citizens and permanent residents of the Republic will, on a progressive basis, have access to--

a)	permanent residential structures with secure tenure, ensuring internal and external privacy and providing adequate protection against the elements; and

b)	potable water, adequate sanitary facilities and domestic energy supply;

"housing development project"

means any plan to undertake housing development as contemplated in any national housing programme;

"MEC"

means the member of the Executive Council of a province responsible for housing matters in the province in question;

"Minister"

means the Minister of Housing;

"municipality"

means a municipality as defined in section 10B of the Local Government Transition Act, 1993 (Act No. 209 of 1993);

"national housing policy"

means the national policy in respect of housing development determined by the Minister in terms of section 3(2)(a);

"national housing programme"

means any national policy framework to facilitate housing development, including, but not limited to, any housing assistance measure referred to in section 3(5) or any other measure or arrangement to--

a)	assist persons who cannot independently provide for their own housing needs;

b)	facilitate housing delivery; or

c)	rehabilitate and upgrade existing housing stock, including municipal services and infrastructure;

"procurement"

means the process by which organs of state procure goods, services and works from, dispose of movable property, hire or let anything, or grant rights to the private sector;

"provincial housing development board"

[deleted by the Housing Amendment Act, No 4 of 2001];

"provincial housing development fund"

means a provincial housing development fund contemplated in section 12(2)