"Level-two accreditation status gives municipalities the responsibility to approve and manage housing construction programmes and ensure technical quality assurance," said Sexwale. “In the past the authority for this rested primarily with provincial governments. The municipal accreditation process is a critical tool in devolving the housing function to the local sphere. It enables municipalities to co-ordinate their housing decisions with other decisions that relate to the broader sustainability of human settlements." Sexwale said the department hoped the accreditation process would lead to accelerated delivery and improved spending with less under expenditure.

The Western Cape Human Settlement's MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, also attended the meeting. His spokesman, NathanAdriaanse, said the announcement was good news for Cape Town. "Usually funds are made available by the national government to the provincial government, which in turn passes it on to the city. Now funds will go directly from the national government to the city."

Shehaam Sims, the city's Mayoral Committee Member for Housing, said she was excited about the level-two accreditation. "This means we can do things faster than before and we do not have to apply to the provincial government for our projects. This will definitely speed up the administrative processes."

"It is the policy intention of National and Provincial Human Settlements departments to continue to expand the role of municipalities, particularly the metros, in the management and development ofsustainable and integrated human settlements,"

Sexwale said. During the meeting Sexwale also announced the introduction of a new metropolitan funding framework, developed in partnership with national treasury, known as the Urban Settlements Development Grant.