Housing in Southern Africa October-November 2016

Professor Sipho Seepe recently addressed housing stakeholders at the inaugural Department of Human Settlements Conference in Port Elizabeth. From Housing to Human Settlements implications of a policy shift

I n a bid to address spatial legacy and the country’s apartheid past, Professor Seepe cites examples of the goals of government’s 1994 goals – ‘breaking down apartheid geography through land reform,more compact cities and decent public transport. And the development of industries and services that use local resources and meet local needs’. There are no quick fixes, he in- formed stakeholders and media. “Given the resources and required transformation it will invariably be incremental.” The conceptual shift from RDP houses to Breaking New Group BNG was to use housing as an instrument for the development of sustainable human settlements, in support of spatial restructuring. The uniform and monotonous RDP houses on the urban edge without the neces- sary social facilities and supportive infrastructure needed to change for more diverse housing programmes and offer a variety of products. Better locatedmixed income andmixed use housing projects, social and rental housing and to revitalise depressed property markets at the lower end of the rental market. Government’s roll out of Catalytic Projects will allow things to be done differently, faster and smarter. Core issues will be addressed such as apartheid spatial patterns.

achieving living areas with different typologies. The focus remains on housing rather than developing quality envi- ronments supportedby thenecessary social and environmental services. The National Upgrading Support Programme to upgrade informal settlements has made slow prog- ress. This is due to the rigid local regulations and ambivalent attitude towards informal settlements in sec- tors of government There is need for a national dis- cussion, says Professor Seepe, on the future funding of housing in South Africa. And, on the respective roles of the state, private sector and individual households in providing housing and creating integrated and sustainable human settlements. He concludes, “The system of state-provided housing has benefit- ted many poor households but may have undermined the incentive for people to upgrade their own hous- ing circumstances. This may have increased a dependency on the state for the supply of private goods.” ■

Establishing sustainable human settlements that demonstrate social, economic and spatial integration. Ensuring value for money through exploiting economies of scale Ensuring more diverse forms of housing to respond to various house- hold needs. Ensuring economic spin offs in- cluding creating more job opportu- nities. Professor Seepe says that the re- maining challenges include: State subsidised houses are not being integrated into the property market. Delay in registration and issuing of title deeds. The growing Gap market for households that are above the fully subsidised income band but not enough to qualify for bonds. Lack of incentives for public and private investors to invest in rental housing. Government lacks the operational capacity to manage rental stock Despite improvements in state subsidised housing, projects are not

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