Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In our rapidly urbanising world, the need for sustainable settlement planning,
particularly for the poor in developing countries, is essential. In South Africa,
apartheid spatial constructs segregated black population groups, denying them
equal access to economic opportunities; housing; as well as basic and social
services. After the first democratic elections in 1994, policy makers attempted to
redress these inequalities. Though early housing policy aimed to provide secure
tenure: permanent residential structures, and access to basic services for the poor,
these policies failed to meet the objectives of the policy makers. In articulating that
the state could not meet the needs of the homeless, and that housing for the poor
should be delivered within a normalized market in order to attract private investment,
these policies (which promoted private sector, contractor-driven development) only
served to heighten inequalities previously entrenched by the apartheid regime.
In 2004, after measuring delivery failures, policy makers empowered the state to
become an enabler of subsidised and low-income housing delivery, rather than
leaving housing provision solely to the market. The new policy included the use of
multiple finance and delivery mechanisms, multiple housing typologies, and clearly
expressed the need for capacity development. It also espoused the need for citizens
to become participants in sustainable settlement delivery. Despite this, policy
implementation continues to be fragmented and mostly ineffectual. Interviews, survey results and site visits reveal that there are some examples of
integrated sustainable human settlements in the South African (SA) context. A few
recent examples showcase better quality houses, a broader variety of housing
options and typologies, better locations, functioning developmental relationships and
the use of multiple financing mechanisms. Conversely, case studies and
comparative analysis of developments reveal that most projects designated as
Breaking New Ground (BNG) responsive by government officials (as defined in the
study) fail to meet BNG policy objectives. This study argues that low-income housing
provision continues to focus on the delivery of free-standing subsidy houses without
providing a range of typologies and tenure options. It argues that basic and socialservice
provision is intermittent and, at times, non-existent. It argues that current funding models for the development of sustainable human settlements in low-income
communities are unable to meet basic needs within communities. It shows that skills
scarcities within government prevent the acceleration of housing delivery and that
participation strategies have failed to meet the policy objective of enabling citizens to
become participants in sustainable settlement development.
In conclusion, it recommends that the current focus on and allocations of subsidies
toward ownership models for shelter and housing delivery be re-examined. It
suggests that support should be provided for lending institutions to extend finance to
creditworthy, low- and middle-income families. Additionally, accredited capacitybuilding
programmes should be developed and funded for local authorities, enabling
local government to be the sole driver of local development. It argues that capacity
should be built in community organisations to speed up delivery processes, and
recommends that provincial government’s power and authority be incrementally
devolved to local government as capacity is increased within local authorities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weens die snelle verstedeliking in Suid-Afrika het die behoefte aan beplanning van
volhoubare nedersettings noodsaaklik geword, veral vir armes in ontwikkelende
lande. Tydens apartheid is gesegregeerde swart gemeenskappe gelyke toegang tot
ekonomiese geleenthede, behuising, sowel as basiese en maatskaplike dienste
ontneem. Na 1994 het beleidmakers gepoog om hierdie ongelykhede reg te stel.
Hoewel vroeë behuisingsbeleid daarop gemik was om permanente residensiële
strukture wat toegang tot basiese dienste sou verseker, het hierdie beleid egter
gefaal. Toe die staat nie sy doelwitte kon bereik nie, is daar besluit om private
beleggings te lok. Hierdie privaatsektor gedrewe beleid, wat ontwikkeling binne 'n
genormaliseerde mark sou bevorder, het egter slegs gedien om ongelykhede te
verskerp. Dit is dan ook dieselfde ongelykhede wat voorheen in die apartheidsbeleid
verskans is.
In 2004, na besef is dat verskaffing misluk het, het beleidmakers die staat bemagtig
om te verseker dat gesubsidieerde behuising vir lae-inkomste groepe verskaf word,
eerder as om behuising slegs aan die private sektor oor te laat. Die nuwe beleid het
ingesluit die gebruik van verskeie finansiële en leweringsmeganismes, meervoudige
behuising-tipologieë, en het duidelik die behoefte aan kapasiteitsontwikkeling
vergestalt. Dit het ook die behoefte onderstreep wat daar bestaan vir landsburgers
om deel te neem aan die proses van lewering van volhoubare nedersettings. Ten
spyte hiervan is min sukses behaal.
Hierdie studie voer aan dat daar 'n paar voorbeelde van geïntegreerde volhoubare
menslike nedersettings in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks bestaan. Onlangse
voorbeelde dui op huise van ‘n beter gehalte, 'n groter verskeidenheid van
behuisingsopsies en tipologieë, geskikter ruimtes, die funksionering van die
ontwikkelingsverhoudings en die gebruik van verskeie finansieringsmeganismes.
Aan die ander kant, alhoewel regeringsamptenare die meeste projekte aanvaar as
synde dat hulle voldoen aan die vereistes van Breaking New Ground (BNG),
voldoen hulle nie aan die vereistes van die BNG se beleid nie. Hierdie studie voer
aan dat die voorsiening van lae-inkomste-behuising bly fokus op die lewering van
subsidies vir vrystaande huise sonder dat 'n reeks tipologieë en ook opsies ten opsigte van verblyfreg verskaf word. Basiese en maatskaplike diensvoorsiening is
gebrekkig en soms totaal afwesig. Hierbenewens is die huidige finansiële modelle
vir die ontwikkeling van volhoubare menslike nedersettings in lae-inkomste
gemeenskappe nie in staat om in die basiese behoeftes van die gemeenskappe te
voorsien nie. Dis duidelik dat ‘n tekort aan vaardighede binne die regering verhoed
dat die lewering van behuising versnel en dat die strategieë vir deelname deur
burgers aan die proses ook gefaal het. Ten slotte beveel hierdie studie aan dat die
huidige stelsel vir die toekennings van subsidies vir die lewering van skuiling en
behuising weer nagegaan word. Ondersteuning moet gegee word aan instellings
wat finansiering voorsien en dit behoort uitgebrei te word na lae- en middel-inkomste
families wat kredietwaardig is. Kapasiteitsbou-programme behoort geskep te word
vir plaaslike owerhede wat dan alleen sal omsien na plaaslike ontwikkeling.
Gemeenskapsorganisasies behoort ook bemagtig te word om leweringsprosesse te
bespoedig. Die provinsiale regering se magte en gesag moet inkrementeel
oorhandig word aan plaaslike regering soos kapasiteit binne plaaslike owerhede self
uitbrei.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20153 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Smeddle-Thompson, Lisa |
| Contributors | Khan, Firoz, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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