, PUB1602
PORTFOLIO SEMESTER 1
DUE DATE: 18 MAY 2026
Question 1 (35 Marks)
1. Identify and briefly describe the three waves of policymaking outlined in the 2023 Draft
White Paper. (15 marks)
The 2023 Draft White Paper on Human Settlements identifies three major waves of
policymaking that shaped housing and settlement development in democratic South Africa.
The first wave of policymaking (1994–2004) focused mainly on housing delivery and basic
shelter provision. After apartheid, the democratic government inherited a massive housing
backlog and prioritised the rapid delivery of subsidised housing to poor households. Policies
during this period focused on mass housing construction through programmes such as the
Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). The Housing White Paper of 1994
emphasised home ownership, secure tenure, and access to basic services for previously
disadvantaged communities (Department of Housing, 1994). However, although many houses
were delivered, most developments were located on the outskirts of cities, reinforcing
apartheid spatial patterns.
The second wave of policymaking (2004–2014) focused on sustainable and integrated human
settlements. Government recognised that housing delivery alone was insufficient to improve
people’s quality of life. As a result, the Breaking New Ground (BNG) policy introduced in 2004
shifted the focus from merely constructing houses to creating integrated communities with
access to transport, schools, healthcare, and economic opportunities (Department of Housing,
2004). This wave promoted mixed-income developments, informal settlement upgrading, and
PORTFOLIO SEMESTER 1
DUE DATE: 18 MAY 2026
Question 1 (35 Marks)
1. Identify and briefly describe the three waves of policymaking outlined in the 2023 Draft
White Paper. (15 marks)
The 2023 Draft White Paper on Human Settlements identifies three major waves of
policymaking that shaped housing and settlement development in democratic South Africa.
The first wave of policymaking (1994–2004) focused mainly on housing delivery and basic
shelter provision. After apartheid, the democratic government inherited a massive housing
backlog and prioritised the rapid delivery of subsidised housing to poor households. Policies
during this period focused on mass housing construction through programmes such as the
Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). The Housing White Paper of 1994
emphasised home ownership, secure tenure, and access to basic services for previously
disadvantaged communities (Department of Housing, 1994). However, although many houses
were delivered, most developments were located on the outskirts of cities, reinforcing
apartheid spatial patterns.
The second wave of policymaking (2004–2014) focused on sustainable and integrated human
settlements. Government recognised that housing delivery alone was insufficient to improve
people’s quality of life. As a result, the Breaking New Ground (BNG) policy introduced in 2004
shifted the focus from merely constructing houses to creating integrated communities with
access to transport, schools, healthcare, and economic opportunities (Department of Housing,
2004). This wave promoted mixed-income developments, informal settlement upgrading, and
