Effects of the development and implementation of the national public housing policy in South Africa with specific reference to the Gauteng Province

Abstract

The housing shortage in developing countries is one of the challenges of the 21st century. South Africa is no exception. This study has been undertaken to ensure that a bigger picture of this phenomenon can be understood. This study is also an attempt to understand whether governmental actions and interventions are near to addressing the challenges of homelessness for low-income households. In particular, the problem being investigated points to several issues which require extensive research towards possible proposals for future policy interventions. This means that the study takes interest in what the effects of the development and implementation of the national public housing policy in South Africa are. These effects need to be understood and identified for relevant conclusions and recommendations to be drawn. Further, the research problem has been broadened to understand the extent to which the effects of the Housing Act 107 of 1997 and the Gauteng Housing Act 6 of 1998 are conducive to addressing the public housing problems in the Gauteng Province. The literature review undertaken in this study shows that for South Africa, and particularly the Gauteng Province, to be more successful in addressing public housing problems, different approaches and interventions are necessary. This is due to the fact that most successful countries (especially Western countries) have allowed community organisations themselves, not only the government, to become actively involved in the provision of public and low-income housing. Other findings of this study are, inter alia, poor administrative capacities, shortage of land for housing development, housing affordability problems, and lack of sound intergovernmental relations systems. The main recommendation, on the basis of the findings, is that a constitutional review and amendment recommending public housing policy implementation to be the preserve of municipalities should be considered. Several additional recommendations include, inter alia, proposed changes in the hierarchical structures and the adoption of business models that could minimise red tape to improve the turn-around period for beneficiaries in the process of public housing provision in the Gauteng Province.