Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...
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8. The Limits of the Government’s Actions<br />
than 3,500 rand can <strong>in</strong> theory become the owner of a small house for free 46 creates<br />
several disparities. First, the problem of gap hous<strong>in</strong>g, while it has been identified, is<br />
hav<strong>in</strong>g difficulty be<strong>in</strong>g resolved. Indeed, households that earn more than 3,500 rand<br />
must use their own funds to buy homes (albeit with government assistance now), and<br />
can f<strong>in</strong>d the situation unfair: they work, earn a liv<strong>in</strong>g, and are not any better off than the<br />
unemployed. They must also sometimes rent a room or apartment, or <strong>in</strong> other words<br />
pay for a small space while others receive houses for free. In addition, there are only<br />
a very few alternatives for people earn<strong>in</strong>g less than 3,500 rand per month.<br />
Some people earn<strong>in</strong>g less than 3,500 rand per month are not eligible for the subsidies<br />
and therefore can only rent or live <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>formal hous<strong>in</strong>g. The same is true for those who<br />
need to be close to centres of economic activity.<br />
8.1.2. A National Sectoral Approach<br />
114<br />
Beyond the flaws <strong>in</strong> the hous<strong>in</strong>g solutions, the fact that <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g urban and poor<br />
populations was not conceived as part of the approach to hous<strong>in</strong>g is, perhaps, an even<br />
more problematic limitation. Given the determ<strong>in</strong>ation, at the end of apartheid, to provide<br />
roofs to all historically disadvantaged populations, the urban developments made<br />
today for struggl<strong>in</strong>g households are entirely guided by the hous<strong>in</strong>g policy. No other<br />
national policies address the issue of cities and urban facilities for low-<strong>in</strong>come<br />
populations. This is the reason that the Department of Hous<strong>in</strong>g revised its policy <strong>in</strong> 2004<br />
and felt obliged to address the issue of susta<strong>in</strong>able human settlements rather than merely<br />
hous<strong>in</strong>g. This led to the draft<strong>in</strong>g of the new hous<strong>in</strong>g policy, BNG, that recommends a<br />
holistic approach <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g people’s various urban needs.<br />
This sectoral vision is still dom<strong>in</strong>ant and is detrimental to the successful creation<br />
of <strong>in</strong>tegrated liv<strong>in</strong>g spaces. <strong>South</strong> <strong>African</strong>s use the expression “silo mentality” to<br />
designate this attitude. Here is a significant example: the new hous<strong>in</strong>g subsidy for BNG<br />
houses does not <strong>in</strong>clude the cost of land 47 and esteems that it is the responsibility of<br />
the local and prov<strong>in</strong>cial departments <strong>in</strong> charge of plann<strong>in</strong>g to f<strong>in</strong>d and cover the cost<br />
46. Becom<strong>in</strong>g a home owner for free is, however, an illusion <strong>in</strong> the sense that one must then pay for the upkeep<br />
on the house and utilities.<br />
47. In the previous subsidy, the percentage to cover the cost of the land was <strong>in</strong> any case very small and did<br />
not allow for the acquisition of land <strong>in</strong> good locations.<br />
<strong>Integrat<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Poor</strong> <strong>Populations</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>South</strong> <strong>African</strong> <strong>Cities</strong> © AFD 2009