This is a paragraph about the news for North West Housing Corporation

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The NWHC recently embarked on a turnaround programme that will see the institution changing its shape and size. The main aim is to share its tainted passed and position itself as “a preferred world class provider of affordable housing”.

The CEO of the corporation, MR. ZP Tolo indicates that the turnaround strategy is aimed at achieving among others:

  • Normalization of the institution so that it can focus on its core mandate and generate revenue and cash flow for sustained business. This has to do with the cleaning of the undesirable past and creation of stability in the business processes.
  • Drive to promote homeownership. This is our effort to ensure that our tenants become owners of properties they are currently renting. This is important because we all know that our people did not have sufficient opportunity to own property and thereby have missed an opportunity to create wealth for themselves through property ownership.
  • Revitalization of property market in the province trough facilitation of new developments. The corporation is among biggest owners of property in the province and therefore its performance in terms of market trade can unleash a great economic potential for the province.

The due diligence on the other side is focusing on the future of the institution. We have continuously indicated to the public that the turnaround strategy will provide for the transition to a new entity called Housing and Infrastructure Delivery Company (HIDCO).The due diligence will provide the authorities with a comprehensive report that will enable them to accurately cost the value of the assets, including Human Resource staff. Once the value has been determine it will be easy to attach price to shares or investment value for any partnerships or investments to be undertaken under HIDCO. Reading in the provided context any person can see that all processes undertaken are well thought and aimed at achieving the same objective. Consistent with good practices, all queries or controversies related to the Corporation should be cleared before HIDCO is launched.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF TURN AROUND STRATEGY

Since the appointment of the Senior Managers in 2003 under the leadership of Ms. Kgomotso Mahlobo a lot of progress has been made with regard to turning the Corporation around.

  • Development of a turnaround strategy and a blue print for the establishment of the Housing and Infrastructure Delivery Company.

  • We have completed an Organizational Design process to align our structure to the strategy and thereby creating a normal institution that can respond to challenges of the industry.

  • Development of Human Resource policies and procurement policies to ensure compliance with the necessary legislations including the Labour Relations Act and Public Finance Management Act. This includes setting of the Tender Committee.

  • Establishment of asset registers for the Corporation. We are now in a position to say with absolute certainty which properties belong to the Corporation and the market value thereof.
  • Auditing of all installment accounts in our portfolio. We appointed the Auditor General to conduct an audit for all installments accounts to ensure that all balance carried in our books are accurate and removable. To this end, the audit is 80 percent complete and the Auditor General is still a resident in our premises to ensure that the process is completed.
  • Our tenants are now receiving their accounts regularly. Most of them are now in a position to monitor progress their making with regard to their purchase installments.
  • We have increased our collection rate.
  • We have restored relations with the labour unions by improving the conditions of employment and addressed some of the problems that have been with the Corporation for more than five years. Just in the last two years we negotiated with the union and paid workers their outstanding salary increases of about 37 percent dating as back as 4 years. The public can attest to the fact that the strikes are now a thing f the past with the Corporation.
  • We have developed a plan to service all creditors. We have put measures in place to ensure that payments of present creditors are serviced regularly and expeditiously.
  • We have overhauled the information technology infrastructure to ensure credibility of information and responsiveness of our system to the challenges of the industry.
  • We have started a Letsema Roadshow to visit all places where we own property. The purpose is to meet tenants, listen to their problems and immediately set-up one stop stations to correct their accounts or deal with any of their problems.
  • We have also rehabilitated our relationship with the tenants and we regularly consult with the Join Tenants Committees to brief them on the direction the corporation is taking.
  • We regularly present reports through the MEC to the political oversight committee of the Executive Council ensuring that we constantly account and report to the political leadership.
  • We are working with the MEC and Department to develop a discount scheme for all tenants as part of our contributions to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Charter, focusing on the clause “There Shall Be Housing, Security and Comfort For All”.

These achievements did not come without sweat and effort. As management we had to bear with insufficient operational budget, disillusioned staff, suspicious public and a lot of political pressure. Like true patriots we soldiered-on, devising innovate strategies to quell negativity and keep the institution afloat.