Housing Delivery at the Masiphumelele Community

Abstract

This article explores the housing delivery challenges faced by the Masiphumelele community, a township in the Western Cape Province. The study aims to gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of key stakeholders involved in housing delivery, with the goal of informing effective strategies for addressing housing needs and improving the living conditions in the community. The article further explores the reasons why informal settlements and the degradation of housing persist in the community of Masiphumelele. The article utilised qualitative research methods involving focus group discussions with heads of households and online individual interviews with ward committee members and a ward councillor. The research findings reveal several key issues. The lack of affordable housing options emerges as a pressing concern, exacerbating overcrowding and inadequate living conditions. Additionally, the participants highlighted overcrowding, flooding, fires, inadequate sanitation, unsafe living conditions and a high rate of unemployment as common challenges experienced by the community of Masiphumelele. Based on these findings, the article presents recommendations to the City of Cape Town for enhancing housing delivery in the Masiphumelele community. These include the promotion of community-driven initiatives to ensure the inclusion of residents’ voices in decision-making processes. The dates, times and places of municipal workshops and meetings must be announced as widely as possible to improve participation and communication with community members. The findings emphasise the significance of holistic and participatory approaches to address housing challenges, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of life and promote housing development within the Masiphumelele community.