Housing Needs: The Quality and Quantity of Housing Provided by the Government for the Poor in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa

Abstract

The article is based on a study of the implementation of housing programmes in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. A sample of 250 residents took part in a survey and housing officials, representatives of political parties, municipal managers, councillors and social workers were interviewed. The findings revealed that most of the houses had been constructed from substandard materials and evinced poor workmanship, such as poorly fitting doors and windows, cracked walls and weak roofs and floors. The numbers of housing units and the number of rooms in them were inadequate in terms of both demand and construction targets. Although houses are being provided, their quality poses a threat to the health, safety and human dignity of the intended beneficiaries.

Revisiting Gender and Housing: Housing as Seen Through the Eyes of Women in Social Rental Housing in Gauteng, South Africa

“…The above responses also need to be appreciated in the light of the dehumanising conditions in most South African informal settlements, which do not offer privacy for the families. Most of the occupants of subsidised RDP housing have long complained that their units are small and of poor quality (Charlton & Kihato, 2006;Manomano & Tanga, 2018;Manomano, Manomano, Tanga & Tanyi, 2016;Noyoo & Sobantu, 2019;Qwazi, 2017;Zack & Charlton, 2003). The participants in this study, however, expressed that they had adequate space for their children and could also invite friends and relatives.…”

Housing and Social Development: Linking Social and Economic Aspects of Development through Housing Delivery

“…As a consequence, in 2009, the government indicated that it required R1.3 billion to repair the serious defects in these units (RSA, 2009). The affected beneficiaries incurred a double loss of dignity, due to poor housing and the financial costs they incurred in conducting repairs, as some owners are reported to have fixed the damages themselves (Manomano & Tanga, 2018). It is in the light of the foregoing reflections that Gray (2006, p. S54) argued that the ANC government has reneged on its social development approach to social welfare.…”

The Use of Mixed-Income Housing Development to Address Poverty and Inequality, Based on Delphi Empirical Approach: A Case of South Africa

“…In terms of the literature, the National Housing Code 2000 was one of the policies that were put in place to provide standards for housing delivery, specifically for low income households. It was aimed at implementing state social housing programmes that were supposed to provide secure tenure, empowerment, and access to social services (Manomano & Tanga, 2018). But despite its' good intentions, it also resulted in unintended negative consequences such as restricting the relationship between the public and private sector in providing housing, in illegal ownerships, informality and consequently poverty, social stress and vulnerability due to poor management of the implementation process (Hoossein, et al, 2016).…”