PROJECT
SPEECH BY GAUTENG MEC FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS , URBAN PLANNING , COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS , LEBOGANG MAILE :
A report by the South African Human Rights Commission on housing challenges in Gauteng , makes the following pertinent observation : “ Since the advent of democracy , the South African government has delivered more than 4.5 million housing opportunities . Although this is to be lauded , the reality remains that South Africa ’ s housing crisis persists . This housing crisis , although national , is more pronounced in certain provinces and is increasingly becoming a defining characteristic of South Africa ’ s urban centres . With trends all pointing to a further increase in the rate of urbanisation , attempts to address the housing crisis in metros across the country require closer scrutiny .”
In agreeing fully with the sentiments of the report as expressed above , we must also add that it will require not only greater scrutiny , but also innovation and an entrepreneurial approach from government , in partnership with the private sector and other stakeholders to address housing challenges within the province and come up with creative , sustainable solutions .
The launch of these two projects , Rehoboth Hills , and Bravo Enterprises , showcases the innovative and entrepreneurial work done by the Gauteng provincial government , through its entity , the Gauteng Partnership Fund ( GPF ):
• in facilitating spatial transformation for the benefit of historically disadvantaged individuals and families , by providing affordable housing in areas where they are more integrated withing existing communities .
• in contributing towards acceleration of spatial transformation and addressing spatial inequality within our city region and improving the quality of life of historically disadvantaged individuals and families through the provision of dignified shelter that is close to transport , work , and other amenities .
• in empowering emerging black property developers to participate in the affordable residential property market and
• contributing to the development of the Corridors of Gauteng City Region ( GCR ), the Eastern Development Corridor specifically in this case , in line with the GCR economic development plans five development corridors .
These projects are being launched under the ambit of the GPFs Entrepreneur Empowerment Property Fund ( EEPF ), an incubator programme that was established in 2010 to encourage emerging black property developers to participate in the affordable housing residential property market , a market which remains untransformed and there is a need to ensure participation by previously disadvantaged developers . Applications are always open to any historically disadvantaged Individuals ’ ( HDI ) entities who want to participate in this lucrative but untransformed segment of the property market , which itself requires greater efforts at transforming . Since inception of this incubator programme , 36 projects have been completed , yielding 1736 liveable units . We want to scale this up for greater impact as part of socioeconomic transformation . -12357
Black ownership within the R6 trillion property sector sits at less than 7 % and black developers continue to be constrained by the lack of access to finance and the lack of access to land . As the Property Sector Transformation Charter itself clearly states , “ Commercially , direct property ownership is dominated by institutional investors , large private owners ,
Building end facing north .
16 MAY - JUNE 2021 SAAffordHousing saaffordablehousingmag SA Affordable Housing www . saaffordablehousing . co . za