Page 123 - UGU Dstrct Mun IDP Report '21-22

3.5.13 Telecommunications
Telecommunications data is not easily accessible for the district especially regarding the infrastructure on the ground. Whilst no detailed indication of fixed line or broadband services was available, it has been noted that broadband services are limited and only available in major centres. In response to this need, the Ugu DM has initiated a broadband project for the region.
3.5.14 Access to Community Facilities
Major facilities exist and are evenly spread throughout the District and the entire District is well served for the most part with a range of facilities. Some facilities serve immediate and “local” level populations; while other facilities require large thresholds of support, and consequently serve large areas. Educational facilities have to spread in relation to settlement patterns as they are “local” level facilities and health facilities require large thresholds and consequently will tend to be located at appropriate interceptor locations, mainly at appropriate “Nodes”.
In terms of health care facilities, there are about 75 structures which range from a Mobile Clinic to a regional hospital. The Ugu District area of jurisdiction with regards to Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities has two community health centres, 15 mobile clinics and 53 clinics with the greatest number of these facilities being concentrated in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality having four of its facilities functioning as 24-hour clinics located in Gamalakhe, Izingolweni, Gcilima and Ntabeni. With regards to physical educational infrastructure, there are 519 registered public and independent ordinary schools in the Ugu District of which 492 are ordinary public schools, 16 are ordinary independent schools and 3 are special needs schools and 8 are Pre-primary schools.
There are 29 libraries in Ugu District area of jurisdiction which are largely concentrated in the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality; however, there is at least one library in each local municipality. There are only two museums both located in the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality. There is a reasonable spread of sport fields in the Ugu District area of jurisdiction with over 50 fields across the district. The civic centres are only limited to the predominantly urban municipalities and are only three, which are: Port Shepstone, Umzinto and Scottburgh Civic Centres. There is however, a wide distribution of community halls across the district which are 47 in total. There are 14 police stations spread across in the district.
3.5.15 Human Settlements
The South African Constitution (1996) names access to adequate housing as a basic human right and as a government department mandated to carry out the roll out of adequate housing, the Department of Human Settlements has its work cut out of for itself. Through various partnerships and other government departments supporting the cause. Though in recent years there has been a shift as far as focusing on housing as the product but rather taking on a more holistic view as far as sustainable human settlements, where citizens benefit from housing situated in favourable locations, near the necessary amenities such as healthcare facilities, police stations, recreational facilities etc. these human settlements are also required to come equipped with the necessary infrastructure including water and sanitation, electricity, a well-maintained and accessible road network etc.
Though the UGU District contains four local municipalities, the pattern of a densely-populated coastline with a sparsely populated hinterland is the overlaying theme and thus the delivery of sustainable human settlements must be planned to address these developmental imbalances. To ensure the vision of sustainable human settlements is fulfilled it is important that all stakeholders’ plans align accordingly including that of the district to provide water and sanitation services.
3.5.15.1 Housing Need
There are two main ways of determining housing demand/need within municipal areas. The first method uses census statistics. The housing backlog estimates based on census data takes into account both the population residing in informal settlements, and the creation of housing opportunities for those in inadequate formal shelter, such as outhouses, shaky mud structures or under conditions of over-crowding. The number of beneficiaries identified through project identification should be treated as an interim measure while the municipality prepares a housing list. The data derived from the housing list will complement this data.
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