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Department: Human Settlements Support to small businesses Regarding support for small businesses, 58 out of the annual target of 85 SMMEs have received training to enhance their sustainability and business development. Youth and Women development In line with youth empowerment efforts, the department has rolled out various programs to skill young people. A total of 27 training opportunities were provided through the Artisan Development Programme, out of the annual target of 33. Additionally, 150 opportunities were created through the Youth Brigade Programme, meeting the revised target of 150. Furthermore, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) provided 2 553 opportunities, out of the revised annual target of 5 000, across various categories, including women, youth, men, and people with disabilities. Public and consumer education, facilitated through media communications and community engagement, reached 5 576 beneficiaries during the first three quarters of the 2024/25 financial year, against the revised annual target of 6 284. 2.2 Key challenges The department is faced with several challenges in implementing its mandate and these include: Conditional grants cuts The decline in the budget allocation creates significant challenges for the department in meeting its targets and serving the housing needs of all eligible citizens in the Eastern Cape. This reduction in funding impacts the service delivery and the department%u2019s ability to fulfill its mandate. Organisational Structure The department%u2019s current organisational structure is designed for a housing mandate, no longer aligns with the broader goal of developing integrated and sustainable human settlements, this continues to hamper service delivery. To address this, the department is finalising a new Service Delivery Model (SDM), which will decentralise and automate business processes. The review of the department%u2019s organisational structure will follow to ensure better alignment with the SDM, aiming to improve service delivery. Informal Settlements Upgrading The key strategy to address the challenges in informal settlements is the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Strategy. This will help resolve bulk infrastructure challenges faced in various regions, facilitating other housing development initiatives. Title Deeds The province also faces a title deeds backlog of over 50 thousand, particularly for post-2014 properties, exacerbated by historical pre-conveyancing issues in many municipalities. The department is actively addressing pre-conveyancing activities, including township establishment, lapsed general plans, the opening of township registers, and lapsed consents. These tasks, which fall under municipal jurisdiction, remain a significant challenge, contributing to delays in transfers. The department continues to assist municipalities in fulfilling these planning requirements. 708