A critical analysis of housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications

Noah K Marutlulle

doi:10.4102/apsdpr.v9i1.372

Abstract

Background: This article critically analyses housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications. Aim: The study is exploratory in nature and used the qualitative methodology. Setting: Key findings suggest that protests, informal settlements, health challenges, shack fires, flooding, violence and criminality, corruption and xenophobic attacks are the ramifications of housing inadequacy in South Africa. Method: This study used relevant review of literature, document and policy review, and a qualitative inquiry of secondary sources with regards to housing inadequacy in South Africa and its ramifications to answer the research questions. Results: Through the Housing Development Agency, the government needs to engage the private sector, state-owned enterprises, provinces and municipalities to unlock strategic parcels of land suitable for human settlements development, which provision, especially for low-income groups should be at subsidised rates. Conclusion: The country needs an efficient, formidable and incorruptible department that is able to perform the huge task of spatial integration.

Highlights

Literature review, documentary review, including reviews of policies pertaining to housing, in South Africa were conducted to assist in providing an overview of areas in which the article is disparate and interdisciplinary
According to Lonakimidis and Dominelli (2016:437), a new thinking, which has dominated many spaces of discourse in South Africa on the need for radical change and transformation, points to the people who have become both worn down and weary as a result of decades of unfulfilled promises and pledges regarding their own fundamental human rights and needs, with respect to housing. This radical change in thinking stems partly from the recognition of the fact that without housing which is of sufficient quality, there is an ever-increasing probability of rendering vast segments of previously disadvantaged population groups completely powerless and incapable of participating in decision-making
The findings further suggest that protests, informal settlements, health challenges, shack fires, flooding, violence and criminality, corruption and http://www.apsdpr.org xenophobic attacks are the ramifications of housing inadequacy in South Africa

Summary

Background

Houses reflect the most important indices of human development and it is necessary for nations to invest in wholesome development and provision of citizen’s housing needs (Ajayi 2012). United Nations Conference on Human Settlement United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) and ILO 1995, United Nations Habitat (2009), United Nations Millennium Project (2005) and Millennium Development Goals recognise housing as a basic human right http://www.apsdpr.org and commit governments to addressing housing rights (Ajayi 2012) This is because housing is one of the most fundamental basics of human needs along with food and water. This article has a comprehensive two-dimensional purpose It seeks to analytically broaden the inquiry into housing inadequacy in South Africa and critically analyse its ramifications. Importance of the article The importance of this article is that it considers the relationship between a major place-based infrastructural element and an integral part of the community fabric, which has a profound impact on the social, economic, cultural, political and physical characteristics of a community (Tariq 2012:1) It analyses the inadequacy of this major place-based infrastructural element and the ramifications thereof. South Africa? How can the problem of housing inadequacy be resolved in South Africa?

Results

Introduction

Methodology

Literature review

Findings

Conclusion