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Moving towards 'humanising' housing : a closer look at the issues surrounding housing provision in South Africa

Thesis ((MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After many years of fragmentation and inequity, the new housing policy envisages "the
establishment and maintenance of habitable, stable and sustainable public and private
environments to ensure viable households and communities in areas allowing convenient
access to economic opportunities, and to health, educational and social amenities"
(Housing White Paper, 1994:21). It appears, however, given the size of the housing
backlog (currently estimated by the Housing Minister at 2,8 million units) and the general
form housing provision has taken, that the overall vision of what should be accomplished
through housing development have taken the backseat to rapid housing production in the
country.
In practice, inhabitants of recently undertaken housing projects are to a large extent still
denied access to the city and its opportunities. Recent housing projects reflect
government's view that the solution to the housing problem lies in the packaged
production of physical housing units, choosing to define the housing problem only in
terms of "housing production and technical and engineering efficiency " (Noero,
2000: 1). This approach have been described by Noero as being naive and criticised for
its ability to be counterproductive by failing to address the full spectrum of needs in the
lives of people. The limited definition of housing further stands in opposition to the
extensive definition of housing found in policy documents.
This study, with the help of a case study of one such housing project, explored some of
the dominant issues surrounding current housing provision in South Africa, and the
problems associated with it. It sought to establish that current housing provision is far
removed from the overall aims and objectives set out for housing development by the
new housing policy. This study considered some ways of bringing housing delivery
closer to the vision of housing as an engine of growth and change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na vele jare van fragmentasie en ongelykheid, voorsien die nuwe behuisingsbeleid "die
vestiging en onderhoud van bewoonbare, stabiele en volhoubare private en publieke
omgewings vir die skepping van lewensvatbare huishoudings en gemeenskappe in
gebiede wat maklike toegang verseker tot ekonomiese geleeenthede, en tot gesondheids-,
opvoedings- en sosiale geriewe" (Witskrif op Behuising, 1994:21). Dit blyk egter, in die
lig van die geweldige behuisingsagterstand (wat tans deur die Minister van Behuising op
2,8 miljoen eenhede beraam word) en die vorm wat behuisingsvoorsiening tans aanneem,
dat die versnelde produksie van huise geprioritiseer word ten koste van die visie van wat
behuisingsvoorsiening in Suid-Afrika eintlik moet bereik.
In die praktyk word die inwoners van behuisingprojekte wat onlangs onderneem is,
steeds tot 'n groot mate ontneem van die stad en sy geleenthede. Onlangse
behuisingsprojekte reflekteer die siening van die regering dat die oplossing tot die
behuisingsprobleem in die produksie van fisiese wooneenhede lê, en vervolgens die
definisie van behuising slegs in terme van "die produksie daarvan en die gangbaarheid in
terme van tegniese en ingenieursaspekte" (Noero, 2000: 1). Hierdie benadering word
deur Noero beskryf as naief en word gekritiseer vir die vermoë daarvan om
teenproduktief te wees deur nie die volle spekrum van behoeftes in mense se lewens in ag
te neem nie. Hierdie beperkte definisie van behuising staan verder in teenstelling met die
uitgebreide definisie van behuising wat in beleidsdokumente aangetref word.
In die studie, met behulp van 'n gevallestudie van een so 'n behuisingsprojek, word die
dominante kwessies rondom behuisingsvoorsiening in Suid-Afrika en die probleme daar
rondom, verken. Daar word gepoog om te illusteer dat huidige behuisingsvoorsiening
verwyderd is van die vernaamste doelstellings van die nuwe behuisingsbeleid. Die studie
het maniere oorweeg om behuisingsvoorsiening nader te bring aan die visie van
behuising as 'n katalisator vir groei en verandering.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52346
Date12 1900
CreatorsCornelissen, Celeste
ContributorsMuller, J. I., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Dept. of Sustainable Development Planning and Management.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format77, [15] p. : ill., maps
RightsStellenbosch University

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