CONTRIBUTORS
Beyond being affordable
By Chris Campbell , CEO , Consulting Engineers South Africa ( CESA )
South Africa has one of the most ambitious housing programmes globally , however , the provision of affordable housing to the country ’ s lower income population remains a significant challenge , underpinned by several factors , and continues to fall short .
This is not just because social housing projects are underfunded by government . While in 2019 , the social housing programme constituted just 2 % of the budget for the Department of Human Settlements , private investors are well positioned to make up this shortfall but only if the housing development environment and municipal approvals processes were better organised . Investors doing their due diligence are bound to be discouraged by the poor coordination and management by local governments when it comes to assessing and approving new developments , not to mention the scourge of corruption .
South Africa ’ s total housing backlog sits at 2.6 million units , with hundreds of thousands of units being planned , but not executed . As an example , in 2019 the Department of Human Settlements said it planned to upgrade 1 500 informal settlements . It only managed 126 . Another case in point is last year ’ s temporary housing scandal in Limpopo , where 40 tin shelters were built in Talana at a cost of R64 000 each . The project was later described by authorities to be substandard , causing a countrywide outcry and spurring a serious investigation . At the peak of the pandemic , the Department of Human Settlements had directed that temporary shelters be built for vulnerable people , but contract irregularities were uncovered with alleged fraud by four members of the bid evaluation committee from the department ’ s Housing Development Agency .
These examples demonstrate the poor management of housing projects , and this goes beyond just the ‘ breaking news ’ stories and scandals . Inefficient management impacts every facet of housing , from proposal stages all the way through to approvals , rezoning , organising utilities and connecting services . The slow approvals processes do not make housing developments an attractive prospect for those with the funds and capacity to provide these much-needed homes . Both local and foreign investors are having their appetites increasingly dampened .
For those projects which are approved , one must question the quality of decision making . I have seen countless highdensity housing developments approved in areas where the surrounding infrastructure is clearly insufficient to cater
EAMONN RYAN for the sudden increase in population . While the provision of housing in the shorter term is understandably a priority , the long-term sustainability of these developments is questionable . The stability of an entire suburb is placed under threat , as wide-scale infrastructure failures commonly follow these high-density developments . Approving a housing development in these areas means wilfully approving a future failure . It is , in fact , irresponsible .
“ South Africa ’ s total housing backlog sits at 2.6 million units , with hundreds of thousands of units being planned , but not executed .”
These kinds of activities and actions serve only to discourage the appetite for investment at a time when it is needed most . The crux of my point is the inability of our municipalities to operate effectively , and I question whether there is proper due diligence exercised by those charged with planning and approvals . But my point is not merely to complain . There
Chris Campbell , CEO , Consulting Engineers South Africa .
www . saaffordablehousing . co . za MAY - JUNE 2021 7