Abstract
ABSTRACT Recognising the apartheid legacy of inaccess to housing and property for the majority of black South Africans, the Constitution entrenches rights of access to housing and property. Since 1994, one of the main ways the government has pursued this mandate has been to roll out an ambitious Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) private house ownership programme. The overarching goal of the programme (now called Breaking New Ground or BNG) is to establish "sustainable human settlements" that result in "sustainable development, wealth creation, poverty alleviation and equity". Speaking to the "wealth creation" and "equity" aspects, a key component ofBNG is "ensuring property can be accessed by all as an asset for wealth creation and empowerment". Thus, BNG is explicitly aimed at addressing inequality through asset formation. Yet, despite the considerable public resources spent on home ownership projects in South Africa, there is little understanding of the subjective meaning accorded to having an RDP house and the extent to which the financial function of private housing, as a wealth-generating asset (the Hernando de Soto "staircase" role), plays out in practice alongside its more poverty alleviation function as providing social security, including shelter (the "safety net" role). To contribute towards a better understanding of the role and value of RDP home ownership, I undertook a qualitative study among 21 beneficiaries of an RDP housing project in Klapmuts (Stellenbosch). The study provides some tentative conclusions regarding the utility and impact of the private ownership paradigm of these State projects. Keywords: RDP ownership, house, home, property rights, Klapmuts.
Highlights
Among the pernicious legacies of apartheid, one of the enduring injustices is the relative in-access to housing and property for the majority of black South Africans.3 The highly racialised in-access to housing and property in South Africa reflects both poverty and inequality axes in that access to housing is a key social and capability determinant, and ownership of property is often associated with wealth creation and maintenance.4 Recognising this oppressiveDirectorate: Human Settlement and Property Management, Stellenbosch Municipality, for her enthusiasm and support for this study and for going out of her way to assist me
I would like to thank the Klapmuts homeowners, who so generously participated in the interviews and welcomed me into their houses
This case study indicates that the lived reality among beneficiaries of Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses does not clearly align with conventional assumptions and categorisations of the benefits of private title
Summary
Among the pernicious legacies of apartheid, one of the enduring injustices is the relative in-access to housing and property for the majority of black South Africans. The highly racialised in-access to housing and property in South Africa reflects both poverty and inequality axes in that access to housing is a key social and capability determinant (the poverty axis), and ownership of property (or lack thereof) is often associated with wealth creation and maintenance (the inequality axis). Recognising this oppressive. Reform concluded that approximately 72 per cent of the land that is privately owned in South Africa is owned by white individuals This comprehensive Report is available at https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201802/landauditreport13feb2018.pdf (accessed 7 May 2020). It should, be noted that land that is owned by private individuals constitutes only approximately 32 per cent of South Africa’s landmass. RDP HOUSE OWNERSHIP socio-economic reality, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Constitution) provides a framework for the post-apartheid government to advance access to housing and/or to property, including land, to historically disadvantaged individuals and groups. Aiming to contribute towards a better understanding of the role and value of RDP home ownership, the study provides some tentative conclusions regarding the utility and impact of the private ownership paradigm of these State projects
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