PUB 2604 EXAMINATIONS OCT / NOV 2020

South Africa’s housing policy has now been in place for some 20 years. It arose from debates at the National Housing Forum (NHF), a multi-party organization established in 1992 to negotiate a new non-racial housing policy and strategy. These debates focused around such issues as: whether housing should be provided by the private or the public sector; what standard of housing should be provided: a completed four-room house or “progressive” (incremental) housing; and how rapidly the housing backlog should be eliminated. The National Housing Policy framework that arose from this process put forward a vision and goal for housing delivery. It also set out the principles and strategies to be used in fulfilling these aims. Through a new “housing subsidy scheme”, qualifying households were to have access on a “progressive” basis to: a permanent residential structure with secure tenure, ensuring internal and external privacy and providing adequate protection against the elements; and potable water, adequate sanitary facilities, and domestic energy supply. The delivery goal was set at 350 000 units per annum until the housing backlog had been removed, though the policy also noted that meeting this goal would have to be subject to government fiscal affordability. In 1994, the backlog was put at 1.5 million units for the 1.5m households then “inadequately housed” because they lived in informal settlements, backyard shacks, or hostels. The policy also noted that a further 200 000 units a year would be needed to keep up with new family formation. In May 1994, the new ANC-led government introduced a new housing policy in the White Paper on housing. Still South Africa has had a prevailing housing backlog for several years We will now look at the primary tole players in public housing service in South Africa at present, in terms of this White Paper, and whether a more effective housing service has been created. We will discuss the primary role players and suggest how each can improve its efforts in resolving the public housing backlog. For the purposes, we examine the following institutions and individuals who are involved in delivering a public housing service in South Africa. South Africa has a major income problem with high rates of unemployment and the under employment leading to a massive housing backlog.