The rapidly increasing urban sprawl experienced in developing countries like South Africa can have a massive negative impact on not only the environment , but also the people living there . With increased importance being placed on sustainability , more work needs to be done to create communities with intrinsic and inclusive value . This is according to Sivan Govender , Operations Executive for TUHF , a commercial property financier specialising in inner-city areas .
Putting the spotlight on urban regeneration sees attention turn to restoring an area with the essential services – such as access to power , water , roads , security , and cleanliness – that facilitate an impetus to grow and be sustainable . As part of this , TUHF enables small property entrepreneurs to invest in buildings that they can refurbish and bring up to standard to deliver affordable housing to students , young professionals , and new families .
“ The pandemic has put further pressure on all role players to rethink their approaches to combating urban sprawl . The unplanned and uncontrolled growth of urban areas contributes to poor service delivery . After all , local municipalities cannot be expected to provide electricity and running water to settlements that virtually sprung up overnight . But this means there needs to be a balance between urban development and urban management to provide all citizens with access to homes where their basic needs are met ,” adds Govender .
THE NEW NORMAL
As more people had to turn to working remotely over the past two years , there has been renewed focus on access to fast and reliable Wi-Fi networks . Those property owners in which TUHF invests are also making it a priority to upgrade their buildings with access to connectivity that will enable people in these communities to work from home , children to perform research for school assignments , and students to take online classes .
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine JUNE 2022 73