2000s
Summary
The National Spatial Development Framework works to address distortions caused by apartheid, and local government continues the process of restructuring. But effective reform is hampered by a lack of capacity. The housing strategy, now a local government function, promises elimination of informal settlements by 2010. To meet this end, greater emphasis is placed on rental housing and public-private partnerships, especially in inner-city housing projects. Moreover, banks make a stronger commitment to funding middle income housing under a Financial Charter.
Influences
- Delivery capacity meets constraints.
- Quality of housing produced in first six years of democratic government questioned: location, social facilities, and construction.
- South Africa hosts World Housing Conference.
- Recognition that housing and service delivery is complicated.
- Informal sector of 2.4 million.
- Urban population is now in the majority.
- Landless and homeless; people's housing movement.
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Policies and Programs
- Integrated Sustainable Rural Strategy Program and Special Integrated Presidential Projects adopted.
- Community Reinvestment Bill (2003) brings pressure on banks to lend more to lower-income groups.
- Urban Renewal becomes a policy objective.
- Municipalities accredited to manage housing programs.
- Revised Housing Policy: "Breaking New Ground" (2004).
- Housing Development Norms and Standards established.
- Banks adopt a Financial Charter, extending 42 billion Rand to lower-income groups over eight years.
- National Spatial Development Perspective (2003): space economy, areas of need, growth potential.
- National Urban Renewal Program (2001).
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Institutional Roles
- Social housing; lobby for rental housing.
- Provincial- and national-level restructuring.
- National Housing Registration Board.
- Increased central control and delegation of policy directives due to poor local government implementation; shift to provinces.
- National government invests in infrastructure in areas of growth potential.
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Methods, Tools, and Practices
- In situ upgrading of informal settlements.
- Planning requirements: integrated development plans.
- Re-demarcation of local government boundaries and administrative responsibilities.
- Delivery targets.
- Local governments raise funds by issuing municipal bonds.
- Public-private partnerships.
- Consolidation and transformation process (black empowerment) lost bureaucratic expertise; transition failure to transfer technical and administrative skills.
- Developers are constrained by costly housing standards.
- Urban development patterns established under apartheid prove very difficult to change.
- Urban development affected by incompetence and lack of capacity at the local level.
- Outcries over corruption in local government.
- Reduction in housing output due to a requirement to pay deposit for housing.
- Housing policy recognizes that elements of the 1 million home housing program were unsatisfactory in terms of location and build quality.
- Local governments continue to experience difficulties in collecting service charges; Free Basic Services policy introduced to address needs of poor.
- Lack of clear strategy in housing and urban development; reform plagued by weak leadership.
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