Report of the National Seminar and Learning Event Hosted by Isandla Institute and the South African Cities Network18 – 19 September 2007Cape Town

Isandla InstitutePO Box 12263

Mill StreetGardens 8010South Africa

Tel: +27 21 465 8751Fax: +27 21 465 8769

Email: admin@isandla.org.zaWebsite: www.isandla.org.za

AcknowledgmentsThis report summarises the presentations and discussions at the Seminar and Learning Event

‘Positive’ Spaces: Sustainable Human Settlements in the Context of HIV/AIDS which was hostedby Isandla Institute and the South African Cities Network on 18 – 19 September 2007 in Cape Town.

Isandla Institute would like to thank the Open Society Foundation for South Africa andthe Rockefeller Brothers Fund for providing funding to support the research process

and related activities and the South African Cities Network for co-fundingthe Seminar and Learning Event.

Published in 2007

Joburg Metro Building158 Loveday Street

PO Box 32160Braamfontein, 2017

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Tel. 011 407 6471Website: www.sacities.net

Table of ContentsDAY 1: 18 SEPTEMBER 3

Session 1: Sustainable human settlements in the context of HIV/AIDS 3

Session 2: Policy and human rights imperatives for integrating HIV/AIDS

in sustainable human settlements planning 5

Session 3: Imperatives for integrating HIV/AIDS into settlement design

and housing unit design 7

Session 4: Lessons from international experience 8

Cocktail Function: Launch of Isandla Institute’s guide on HIV/AIDS

and Human Settlements Planning for Municipal Practitioners 9

DAY 2: 19 SEPTEMBER 10

Session 1: An overview of guiding documents for integrating HIV/AIDS

into local governance and development 10

Session 2: Learning Sessions: Information/knowledge exchange and capacity

building (informed by short municipal case studies) 12

Session 3: Report back of learning sessions 14

Session 4: Panel discussion: The role of donor agencies in supporting

municipal responses to HIV/AIDS 14

Conference participants 17

Event programme 20

List of acronymsAIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromeARV AntiretroviralBNG Breaking New GroundCBO’s Community Based OrganisationsDFID Department for International DevelopmentDPLG Department of Provincial and Local GovernmentFBO’s Faith Based OrganisationsFEDUP Federation for the Urban PoorGTZ German Agency for Technical CooperationHIV Human Immunodeficiency VirusIGR Intergovernmental RelationsLED Local Economic DevelopmentMRC Medical Research CouncilNGO’s Non Governmental OrganisationsNSP National Strategic PlanSACN South African Cities NetworkSAHPF South African Homeless People’s FederationSALGA South African Local Government AgencyTAC Treatment Action CampaignURP Urban Renewal Programme

Important Note on HIV/AIDSIn many other instances and research done by others, references has been made to HIV and AIDS as a way of recognising thedifferent nature and impacts of infection with HIV compared to the development of AIDS, and its related illness. While thisdistinction is recognised this report will use the abbreviation “HIV/AIDS.

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Powerthe balance of power exists in realities of economythe highs and lows of a society, it’s degradation, it’s epiphanyfinds its value in the rand/dollar exchangein the jingle – jangle of small changein the “boeta is da nie 20c vi my nie?”, the street corner that joinsme and yousex, sexuality, migration, urbanisation, economisation all on that corner, romance and poetryform opinion of the situation and retorts with indignation

here where I live and dieyou exist under the same skyhere where I plant my next seedare the welts of a society that will bleedyou can’t talk to me about HIV, about my realitybecause I am the other, the ‘we’ we only claim on paper you seeour most ardent dilemma is that the new constitution is an aspirationin human evolutionthis means that psychologically we have not graduated, for all our degrees and doctorates,to the understanding that blood is the thing that makes us equalthis virus finds its home in the seed of inequity, the notion of private and ownershipthat makes poverty of realitythe poverty of spirit, the treason of hierarchy , the same old rhetoric backlash still wonderinginto the lives of Africans

we are not post apartheid, or colonialism for that matterI’m not talking the poetic jargon of utopiasince the use of utopia is a way to write off what is being saidis a way to negate the validity of the quest for communion between you and meto make this corner our meeting place you must understand that you are me, give or take the value of your rand.That’s the extent to which its been simplified you seewe have become economical with valuethereforeuMfela nda Wonye Wa bantu.

security, walls, electronic gates, barbed wordsthat curse another breaking and entering scenarioanother car alarm bypassed, another case docketmore numbers to play with, more conversations with your neighbour about the stateof the nationtill we all forget about why we stand on this corner togetherI am only wanting what you havethis is the aspiration of our post modern societycreated by this superficial economy

No we are not the samewe don’t believe the same thingswe don’t hunger in the same waywe don’t sleep with dreams in the same waymy dreams are hard like tar, crowded like those next to mewaking like the gap between us you seemy dreams are everywhere, in your house, in your car, in your childin your food, in your pocketmy dreams are not sleeping with mebecause I am always waiting for them in the value of your economy like the rand/dollar exchangeit takes vision to seeuMfela nda Wonye Wa bantu

by Khadija Heeger ‘poem written for the occasion of the launch of Isandla Institute’s publicationHIV/AIDS and Sustainable Human Settlements Development in South Africa:An Introductory Guide for Municipal Practitioners’

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DAY 1: 18 SEPTEMBERSession 1: Sustainable humansettlements in the context of HIV/AIDS

Opening Remarks: Councilor Zintle PeterThe seminar was formally opened by Councilor Zintle Peter,Executive Mayor of Buffalo City Municipality and Acting Chairof the South African Cities Network (SACN). In her openingremarks, Councilor Peter commented that the focus of thisseminar was one that was long overdue as no municipalityremained unaffected by HIV/AIDS. She indicated that theeffects of HIV/AIDS were becoming more apparent with theincreasing need for cemetery space, the increased need forprimary health care and the difficulties faced by municipalitiesin creating sustainable human settlements in a context wherethe number of child-headed households is on the increase.Councilor Peter emphasised the need for all stakeholders, fromgovernment and civil society, to work together in order todevelop effective responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Sheacknowledged the representatives from the World Bank, theGerman Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and theDepartment for International Development (DFID) and indicatedthat the South African Cities Network was looking forward tothe engagement and learning that would take place over thecourse of the two day seminar.

Introduction to the Seminar:Ms Mirjam van DonkMs Mirjam van Donk, Director of Isandla Institute, provideda brief introduction to participants on the aim of the twoday event. She reminded everyone that 1 in 5 South Africansbetween the ages of 15 and 49 are HIV positive and empha-sised the fact that HIV/AIDS had to be seen as more than ahealth issue. It is imperative that we concentrate on the qualityof life, dignity, human rights concerns, inequality, underdevel-opment and impoverished circumstances of the majority ofpeople who are infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Ms van Donk stated that the purpose of this event is to reflecton the challenges and opportunities faced by municipalities andto create a sense of urgency regarding the need to address HIV/AIDS in a holistic manner. She identified the following intendedoutcomes:1. Greater clarity regarding HIV/AIDS and the sustainable

human settlements agenda and the implications of thisfor local government.

2. Inspiration to do things differently3. A stronger sense of commitment to understand issues

better, apply, innovate and advocate

Keynote address “Sustainable HumanSettlements in the Context of HIV/AIDS:Professor Dan SmitProfessor Dan Smit, advisor to the National Minister ofHousing, delivered the keynote address on behalf of theMinister.

Professor Smit started off by emphasising that all municipalitiesare grappling with the shift from housing to the creation ofsustainable human settlements. One of the most importantconcerns is how municipalities can go about implementing thevision outlined by the sustainable human settlements agenda.He began his presentation by sketching the backgroundand theoretical debates regarding housing. Professor Smithighlighted the pressure felt by the South African governmentin the early 1990’s to focus on the delivery of houses. While theSouth African government was initially providing houses at afast rate, concerns began to arise about the location of thesenew settlements, the long-term implications for the SouthAfrican landscape and whether these settlements were in factsustainable. This led to the development and introduction ofthe Breaking New Ground (BNG) strategy in 2004 indicating apolicy and vision shift that focussed on sustainable humansettlements.

However, actually implementing the new strategy proved to bemuch harder than was initially anticipated. Creating sustain-able settlements means that municipalities have to makeuse of the integrated development plans (IDPs) and take intoconsideration other policies like the urban renewal programme.

Professor Smit referred to the HABITAT Agenda for a definitionof sustainable human settlements. This definition consists of thefollowing four components; environment, economy, social andpolitical. Though these components are echoed in BNG, SouthAfrica is engaged in a constant process in order to definewhat we mean and what implications this has for practicalimplementation. He emphasised the fact that human settlementsare not about location in itself and that government has thecapacity to create locational advantages where this is required.According to Professor Smit, the environment is also increas-ingly being put on the agenda and there is also an increasedfocus on the quality of housing. Government has recognisedthe need to move away from the creation of homogeneoussettlement types and instead to conceive of settlements whereincome and class is mixed. This has also raised the issue of howto link settlement creation to job opportunities and otherresources. The notion of sustainable cities is also increasinglybeing put on the agenda and this calls for city-wide interven-tions. Professor Smit highlighted two current obstacles thatmunicipalities are faced with:

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Link between HIV/AIDS and sustainable human settlements –many municipalities still do not understand the extent to whichthe creation of sustainable settlements can contribute towardsan effective response to the epidemic. It is therefore imperativefor municipalities to understand the dynamics of human settle-ments, the settlement typology, what services are required andhow this affects the planning for and implementation ofsustainable human settlements. It is also important for munici-palities to move away from the one-size–fits-all approach andto recognise the local conditions and priorities in their areas.

Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) – IGR remains a seriouschallenge for municipalities as many are not clear about thelevel at which responsibility for particular projects reside. Forexample, there is often frustration because many of the toolsnecessary for the creation of sustainable human settlements arelocated in different spheres of government and this oftencreates delays. While the assignment of powers and functionsof different government spheres is currently under debate, oneway for municipalities to ensure that sustainable settlementcreation enjoys priority is to include a chapter on sustainablehuman settlements in the IDP.

Professor Smit ended his presentation by emphasising thechallenges that municipalities will have to face in future. Theseinclude the issue of providing services to child-headedhouseholds, the succession of property rights and the needs ofhome-based care givers and children in the context of HIV/AIDS.

The Role of Municipalities in realisingSustainable Human Settlements:Mr Yusuf PatelMr Patel, Deputy Director-General in the Department ofProvincial and Local Government, began his presentation byoutlining the five principles of the National Spatial Develop-ment Framework:1. Ensure rapid and sustainable economic growth to achieve

developmental objectives which poverty alleviation is key.2. Government has a constitutional obligation to provide

basic services to all, irrespective of where people reside.3. Government spending should focus on localities of

economic potential and consolidate areas with a highpopulation concentration and economic opportunities.This should gear up private sector investment, stimulatesustainable economic activities and create long-termemployment opportunities.

4. Efforts to address social inequalities should focus onpeople and not places. In localities with low demon-strated economic potential, government should not onlyprovide basic services but also concentrate on humancapital development.

5. Future settlements and economic development opportuni-ties should be channelled into activity corridors and nodesthat are adjacent to or link the main growth centres.

He also provided a brief breakdown of the components of alocal economic development (LED) strategy and what consti-tutes sustainable “multifunctional” settlements. The latterincludes the following elements; economic opportunities, amix of safe and secure housing and tenure types, reliable basicservices, educational, entertainment and cultural activities aswell as health, welfare and police services.

After providing a number of examples of municipalities thathave begun to implement the sustainable settlements agenda,Mr Patel went on to highlight the IGR context and the progressmade since 1994 in understanding how the three spheres ofgovernment need to interact. However, despite the fact thatthe IDP was beginning to influence IGR processes, one of thechallenges that remained was how to determine what the rolesand functions of each sphere are within the municipalcontext. This led to the introduction of the five year plan forlocal government in 2006, which looks at the districts andmetros as arenas for IGR coordination. Municipalities have alsobeen tasked with promoting both the sustainable humansettlements agenda and LED.

He indicated that the role of municipalities should focus on thefollowing:• registration of informal and illegal land• making land markets work for the poor• fostering social role of towns• creating social safety net through the provision of

indigent support to “legal” residents• equitable by-law application and enforcement• urban planning and design• social cohesion to promote race-class integration

In conclusion, he emphasised the need to develop the neces-sary capacity required to implement the above plans andpolicies. He noted that sustainable settlements are a product ofintergovernmental cooperation, joint planning and municipalgovernance and administration. It is therefore crucial thatmunicipalities optimise the critical levers they have to influenceplace shaping and community building.

Questions and comments from participants• A number of concerns regarding succession rights were

raised. Participants wanted clarity on the conditions thatare attached to succession and how this impacts on people.

• What do partnerships actually mean? How can capacitybe developed so that the delivery of services is fasttracked.

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• How far do housing documents go in linking HIV/AIDS tothe sustainable human settlement agenda?

• Comment that one of the challenges faced by governmentis the fact that there is a lack of data at local level andthat this needs to be addressed.

Responses• The actual implementation of sustainable human

settlements in South Africa is not currently taking place.However, different cities have begun to find ways todeliver housing in a more integrated manner.

• Efficient use of the indigent policy is an extremelyimportant component

• Partnerships are critical and should be promoted at all levels.• It was noted that while the availability of reliable data is

a challenge, this should not be seen as an obstacle to theimplementation of the human settlement agenda.

• Emphasis was again placed on the need to plan effec-tively for the creation of human settlements and that thisplanning should take into consideration the availablebudget and also the need for diverse approaches. Thismay mean that municipalities have to consider thepossibility of engaging in financial partnerships with otherstakeholders.

Summary of key issues byMs Mirjam van Donk• While post 94 South Africa is good at generating

compelling visions it is not always able to implementthese in practice.

• It is important that we recognise the limitations of a onesize fits all approach and we thus have to determinewhether we are in possession of the right tools, data andapproaches and whether or not these are being usedeffectively.

• The link between HIV/AIDS and sustainable humansettlements has not yet been articulated in the vision andit is important that this conceptual link is made and thata shared and common vision is developed.

Session 2: Policy and human rightsimperatives for integrating HIV/AIDSin sustainable human settlementsplanning

Building ‘Positive’ Spaces: Sustainable HumanSettlements Development in the Context ofHIV/AIDS: Ms Stacey-Leigh JosephThe presentation by Ms Joseph, Policy Researcher for IsandlaInstitute, was based on the Isandla Institute concept paperBuilding ‘Positive’ Spaces: Sustainable Human Settlements

Development in the Context of HIV/AIDS. She began herpresentation by stressing the importance of looking at HIV/AIDSholistically. She emphasised that the traditional response to HIV/AIDS which concentrates primarily on behaviour change as theprimary method of prevention and treatment related concerns,is insufficient. Instead, she noted that it is important to developa holistic response to HIV/AIDS that takes into considerationexternal factors that preclude people from making rational andinformed decisions about their sexual behaviour and relation-ships. Factors like poverty, inequality and underdevelopment arefundamental drivers in increasing the risk of infection and alsoimpact on the ability of individuals, households and communi-ties to cope with the effects of HIV infection. These are factorsmostly affecting poor communities, particularly in the urbancontext and this is illustrated by the high prevalence andincidence1 rates in urban informal settlements. She used theexample of the Western Cape where the prevalence rate, at 15%,is lower than the national average of 30% but where theinformal settlements of Khayelitsha and Gugulethu/Nyanga haveprevalence rates of 33% and 29% respectively.

Poverty, gender inequality, overcrowding and inadequateshelter and a lack of access to basic services, all play a role inincreasing vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and the related impacts.It is for this reason that the development of integrated andsustainable settlements with access to services, opportunities andresources is vital i f South Africa is to f ind an effectiveresponse to the epidemic.

Sustainable settlements encompass the following characteristics:• Provision of shelter• Access to social and economic infrastructure• Economic viability• Access to efficient and reliable transport• Social integration within communities• Use of densification and compaction to reduce urban sprawl• Access to basic services• Environmental sustainability

Ms Joseph identified the aim of the concept paper as investigat-ing the components of BNG and determining whether theyconform to the characteristics of sustainable human settlements.The conclusion reached by the paper is that the current compo-nents of the country’s sustainable settlement plan do notadequately take into consideration the changing needs, both ofcitizens and the state, due to HIV/AIDS. In light of this, sheprovided a number of recommendations by Isandla Institute,which suggest that government should:• Actively involve people living with HIV/AIDS, marginalized

social groups and households and communities that areaffected by the epidemic in the design and development ofsustainable human settlements.

1 Prevalence refers to the number of infections in a particular area at any given time while incidence refers to the number and distribution of new HIV infections.

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• Review policy assumptions underpinning sustainablehuman settlements planning (eg. size, structure, value,affordability).

• Broaden the scope of interventions to overcome policybias towards individual home ownership and greenfieldsdevelopment.

• Accelerate in-situ upgrading of informal settlements in amanner that recognises and supports livelihood strategiesand social support systems.

• Take cognisance of HIV/AIDS in urban planning andsettlement design.

• Take cognisance of HIV/AIDS in housing unit design.• Proactively and creatively allow for the transfer of title

deeds or rental agreements in the case of succession.• Consider housing provision within the context of a

comprehensive social development package that includesmunicipal indigent support.

• Recognise and support the inter-related agendas betweensustainable human settlements and LED.

• Provide the necessary guidance and support for localgovernment to integrate HIV/AIDS in sustainable humansettlements planning and development.

• Recognise the implications of HIV/AIDS for theinstitutional capacity required for sustainable humansettlements planning and development.

A TAC Perspective on Sustainable HumanSettlements: Mr Nathan GeffenMr Geffen, Director of Research and Communications at theTreatment Action Campaign (TAC), highlighted the importanceof having access to services like water and electricity. He refer-enced the work done by Dr. Richard Tomlinson in Johannes-burg, which highlighted the problems encountered by home-based carers in regard to accessing water and the effect of thison the ability to maintain sanitary conditions. He emphasisedthe link between poverty and high-risk sexual behaviour andnoted that while this is recognised, the more important ques-tion is how we attempt to respond to this situation. Accordingto Mr Geffen, one way of doing this was to follow the route ofthe Grootboom case and the TAC court case compelling gov-ernment to provide access to anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment forHIV positive mothers. The reason for the successful resolutionof these cases is that they enjoyed large scale support fromsocial movements and therefore what is needed to put the hous-ing and human settlement concerns at the top of the agenda, issupport from grassroots movements.

Questions and comments from participants• Participants commented on the fact that it is important to

ensure both access to primary health care services and toARV treatment.

• Another comment highlighted the fact that we should belooking at the demographics of people in informalsettlements. For example, most people residing in informalsettlements are migratory workers and this couldcontribute to a lack of social cohesion amongst communi-ties which could in turn increase vulnerability.

• While it is important to ensure access for all to healthfacilities, there are examples where people are notmaking use of clinics. This highlights the need for ongoingawareness raising initiatives.

• Participants emphasised the importance of ensuringdignity of people living with HIV/AIDS by improving thequality of their living environments.

• A participant from the City of Cape Town indicated thatprojects were under way in Khayelitsha (under the UrbanRenewal Programme) that have begun to address jobcreation and community based local economic develop-ment. There is also a programme currently under way inImizamo Yethu (Hout Bay) intended to address the basicneeds of informal settlements. However, it was pointedout that upgrading often meant that some people had tobe relocated. Relocation in turn often affected thecontinuation of existing projects, including those intendedto address HIV/AIDS. Relocation to other areas alsoaffects people’s ability to adhere to ARV treatment.Beneficiaries should therefore be part of the planningprocess in order to provide relevant information abouttheir needs and requirements.

• Another comment from the audience noted that it wasimportant for government to ensure that they get thebasics right, for example, through the provision of waterand sanitation. In addition, the role of strong andeffective leadership in local government and communitiesis critical if municipalities are to come up with creativeresponses to HIV/AIDS.

• A participant from the City of Cape Town acknowledgedthat not much has been done on the link betweenhousing and HIV/AIDS. However, he emphasised thatinformal settlements should not be looked at as homog-enous and that there are settlements where basic servicesare being provided while in other settlements, theprovision of services is completely inadequate. Anotherimportant consideration is the age of an informalsettlement and the rate of rural-urban migration.

• There is also a definite need for improved data collectionas well as the skills and ability to effectively interpret thefindings in order to develop appropriate responses.

• Finally, a suggestion was made that social movements likethe TAC, the Federation of the Urban Poor (FEDUP) andthe South African Homeless People’s Federation (SAHPF)mobilise more effectively and engage with government.

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Summary of key issues by Mr Seana Nkhahle• While it is important to look beyond the health and

treatment aspects of HIV/AIDS, these remain importantcomponents of an effective HIV/AIDS response.

• It is important for municipalities to get the basics right,(ie. by carrying out their mandate of providing basicservices and infrastructure like water, electricity, sanita-tion, health, education and recreational and culturalservices.

• Mobilisation of partnerships (between organs of state andbetween this group and its social and business partners)and networks is another crucial component of an effectivestrategy.

Session 3: Imperatives for integratingHIV/AIDS into settlement design andhousing unit design

Integrating HIV/AIDS into settlement designand planning: Professor Rodney HarberProfessor Harber has worked for a number of years in the fieldof HIV/AIDS and housing. In introducing his presentation, hehighlighted the importance of thinking about HIV/AIDS duringthe design process. During the course of his work, he hasdeveloped an AIDS brief and checklist for the use of architectson how to design buildings for vulnerable people. He highlightedthe increasing and changing need in South Africa becauseof HIV/AIDS. For example, people are requiring more land forburials and often have to make use of unsuitable land, like parks.

Another point highlighted by Professor Harber is the fact thatstigma remains a major concern and that there should becontinued education and awareness raising initiatives inconjunction with attempts to provide adequate living conditions.

In regard to addressing the needs of people who are HIVpositive, he noted that it is important to consider new ways ofbuilding and to move away from the current formula forlow-income housing as this is actually causing more damage.The reason for this, he suggested, is because these housesresult in further isolation and create more difficulties for peoplewhen their changing needs are not taken into consideration.Professor Harber indicated that a step forward for policymakers would be to treat all housing as HIV housing and thatthis should be incorporated in the planning phase.

A perspective on HIV/AIDS and shelterprovision: Ms Nonceba MkangeliMs Mkangeli, a representative of the community basedorganisation, Sizakuyenza spoke on behalf of the Federationfor the Urban Poor (FEDUP) and highlighted some of the

challenges faced by people living in informal settlements. Shestarted by sketching the organisation’s link with the Interna-tional Slum Dwellers’ Association and how their emphasishas expanded to include HIV/AIDS due to the fact that largenumbers of their members are affected.

The movement’s main focus is on mobilising people aroundcommunity savings as a process of empowerment. Through aprocess known as enumeration slumdwellers have also begunto engage in information collection about the needs andrequirements of people in informal settlements. Thus far theyhave profiled 206 informal settlements and this information hasbeen provided to the City of Cape Town. Ms Mkangeli also high-lighted that the project is still underway and involves peoplewho are actually affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Questions and comments from participants• Architects and organisations that are involved in planning

often do not have the information/capacity/skills to dealeffectively with the challenges facing municipalities indeveloping sustainable settlements – also delivery is nothappening at scale.

• Local initiatives need to be emphasised and we need toacknowledge the fact that government alone cannot andshould not be responsible for the establishment ofsustainable human settlements.

• Need to consider the extent to which HIV/AIDS is a usefulentry point for turning the focus towards the developmentof sustainable housing and creating quality livingenvironments

• It is important to recognise the reality that we might neverbe without informal settlements because of urbanisation.We should therefore focus on interim issues in relation tosustainable human settlements and HIV/AIDS.

• When considering alternatives to current RDP housing, itis also important to consider whether these alternativesplay a role in contributing to risk factors.

• What does the Homeless People’s Federation think aboutinitiatives like BNG? Do they understand what it means?

Response• It is important to educate people about how to maximise

the services/resources that are available.• We need to look at the interior of houses and not just the

exteriors. The amount of space, partitioning is veryimportant. In addition, it was noted that due to thelimited resources available, it is imperative thatcommunity building are as multi-faceted as possible.

• Another important issue that needs to be consideredrelates to finding ways to ensure that all stakeholders areaware of the resources that are required to operationaliseBNG in reality.

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• Finally, it is important to recognise that informal settle-ments will never be eradicated. Therefore the focus shouldinstead be on in situ upgrading, incremental upgradingand to view housing as a process and not a product. Forthis reason, it is important to understand how informalsettlements operate and to recognise some of theimportant lessons from communities in informalsettlements.

Summary of key issues by Mr Seana Nkhahle• A discussion is needed on how to operationalise BNG.• Organic responses are needed to respond to the problems

and debates around sustainable settlements creation inSouth Africa.

Session 4: Lessons from internationalexperienceInternational Perspective on HIV/AIDS andslum upgrading: Ms Pinky Vilakazi

Ms Vilakazi, from the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) made a presentation on behalf of Ms Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Human Settlements Officer at UN-HABITAT, who wasunable to attend. In her introduction, Ms Vilakazi emphasisedthe fact that mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS in slum upgradingshould be ongoing and not a once-off intervention. This meansthat government should deal with the direct and indirect causesthat increase vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. She emphasised theimportance of remembering that we are dealing with commu-nities and that it cannot be business as usual. Thus there shouldbe an effective internal (workplace) focus as well as an externalresponse to HIV/AIDS.

Ms Vilakazi indicated that a 2006 meeting of a group ofexperts, identified by UN-HABITAT, highlighted five key focus areas• Shelter and land• Livelihoods• Services and infrastructure• Youth and gender• Governance

In the South African context the availability of affordable landand the land restitution process have serious impacts on thehousing process, while issues of land ownership for women andsuccession rights remain serious challenges in developingcountries. Governments should take heed of the fact that thetransfer of land is time consuming and this should be factoredinto planning. Also, the rural and cultural contexts are veryimportant and should be effectively considered. Ms Vilakazicautioned against the current trend of building new settlementsthat are reminiscent of apartheid style planning and suggested

that community involvement is crucial in the design of housing.She further indicated that resources, like the rural housingsubsidy, were not exploited enough and that adequate useshould be made of the resources that are available.

In her final comments, Ms Vilakazi emphasised the involvementof all stakeholders, for example, women, young people andpeople living in informal settlements, to ensure that inclusivedevelopment takes place. She said that we need to rememberthat people are aware not only of their needs but also of theirrights and that their inputs are therefore invaluable.

Questions and comments from participants• Participants indicated that while they recognise the

importance of an inclusionary and consultative process,government operates within a number of constraints.

• A comment was made that during discussions regardingupgrading of existing communities, these should include ahostel upgrading focus.

• Another challenge for government is the fact that peopleoften settle in areas that are dangerous as this promptsdepartments to prioritise the building of new settlements.

• Some cities, like Cape Town, have begun to rethink theirinterventions in a way that takes into considerationconcerns like the environment.

• A further concern for government is the fact that whilein-situ upgrading will benefit all, housing cannot beprovided to all as not everyone living in informal settle-ments will qualify for the housing subsidy.

• In addition, tools like the IDP need to be used effectively.for example, those responsible for drawing up thesedocuments should understand the needs of their commu-nities and there should be a review process to determinewhether the programmes and plans have been successful.

ResponsesAny participatory process needs to have boundaries and firmcommitments. However, it is crucial that participation takes place.This requires time and energy as it also has to incorporateprocesses that demystify issues of design and costing.

Closing Remarks by Ms Mirjam van DonkThe programme for the day set out to do the following:• Determine what is meant by the notion of sustainable

human settlements and what this means for localgovernment.

• Make the conceptual linkages between sustainablehuman settlements and HIV/AIDS.

• Ensure that the lived realities of community members aretaken into consideration when planning and designing.

• That there is recognition of the need to move beyond thehealth interpretation of HIV/AIDS.

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Issues raised during the course of the day:• It is important not to forget broader spatial perspectives,

for example the interlinkages between communities fromdiffering class backgrounds.

• Informal settlements are not homogeneous and moreresearch is needed on the dynamics of different settle-ments.

• Capacity building is crucial in order to ensure that therelevant tools and models for the implementation of thesustainable human settlement agenda are available.

• It is necessary to incorporate both a top-down andbottom-up approach when planning for and developingsustainable settlements.

• It is important to ensure that beneficiaries are not treatedas passive and to remember that they are in fact activeagents.

• Despite the clear and obvious need for effective commu-nity involvement, this process should not be romanticized.

• The issue of stigma remains an important one and affectsthe way that people respond.

Cocktail Function: Launch of IsandlaInstitute’s guide on HIV/AIDS andHuman Settlements Planning forMunicipal Practitioners

Commentary by Ms Shanaaz Majiet, Head ofDepartment, Western Cape Department ofLocal Government and HousingMs Majiet started off her commentary by indicating that theGuide could not have come at a more opportune time as theWestern Cape Department of Local Government and Housinghad recently launched its Isidima Strategy. This strategy, launchedin June 2007, is the sustainable human settlement strategy forthe Western Cape and will be accompanied by an implementa-tion plan for local government. Ms Majiet highlighted capacitybuilding as one of the key focus areas of Isidima.

In regards to the Isandla Institute guide, she expressed excite-ment at the fact that it makes very important linkages betweenHIV/AIDS and sustainable human settlements which sheadmitted was a very important shortcoming in her department’sapproach. She indicated that the conceptual linkages andpractical suggestions, provided in the guide serves as a veryclear directive for planning of human settlements with specificreference to the importance of basic services and infrastruc-ture. She also noted that the guide provides a “reality check”as it points out the unintended consequences of informalsettlement upgrading and the effect of relocation on peopleinfected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Ms Majiet further commended the guide for the following:• Providing practical guidance on how to integrate HIV/

AIDS in the day-to-day work of the various actorsinvolved in human settlement development processes.

• Clearly describing the relationship between shelter andliving conditions and its impact on the ability of peopleto live comfortable and dignified lives.

• Highlighting the confusion regarding roles and responsi-bilities of the different spheres of government and howthis often impedes the vision of human settlementdevelopment. In addition, it is important that nationaland provincial government understand their roles inproviding guidance and support to local government.

• Emphasising that all spheres of government need tounderstand the developmental dimensions of HIV/AIDSand the role that they have to play in promotingintegrated and sustainable human settlements.

She concluded her commentary by committing her departmentto encouraging the use of the guide and to integrating therecommendations made by the guide into the Is idimaImplementation plan to ensure that it becomes part of thecapacity building programmes of local governments.

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DAY 2: 19 SEPTEMBERSession 1: An overview of guidingdocuments for integrating HIV/AIDSinto local governance and development

Overview of frameworks on the role of localgovernment in terms of HIV/AIDS:Ms Ntombini Marrengane

In providing an overview of the current frameworks and plansto address HIV/AIDS Ms Marrengane, an urban specialist at theWorld Bank, highlighted some of the similarities and differencesbetween the current three2 frameworks and guiding documentson HIV/AIDS. She emphasised the fact that all three plans pro-mote a natioanl strategy.This might cause a large amount of confusion at local govern-ment level as they try to reconcile three plans to come up witha workable strategy. In addition, these plans do not take intoaccount the fact that many municipalities have a number offiscal and resource constraints that might hamper their abilityto implement. This also means that the plans do not speak tothe differences within municipalities and in many ways assumesa one-size-fits-all approach. Ms Marrengane further pointed outthat all three plans place a large amount of emphasis onwhat needs to be done to responde to HIV/AIDS but fall shortof providing sufficient guidance, recommendations, and supportfor implementation.

She suggested an effective HIV/AIDS response from localgovernment has to include sufficient community involvementand a bottom up approach as centralised, top-down approachesoften fail.

In conclusion, she offered a number of recommendations formunicipalities, which included the following:• Municipal actors have to be open to learning and

information sharing with other stakeholders, particularlycivil society, eg. labour movement and community basedorganisations.

• Municipalities need to understand their role as employeras well as service provider.

• Municipalities can learn from the HIV/AIDS workplaceresponses in the private sector.

• Municipalities should ensure that they have in place acomprehensive and accessible indigent policy as well asthe necessary resources for its implementation. Also, it isimportant to think about the availability of funding foradditional social services in the context of HIV/AIDS. Thisrequires creative thinking around possible interventions.

Handbook for facilitating development andgovernance response to HIV/AIDS:Dr Liz Thomas

Dr Thomas, researcher at the Medical Research Council,introduced this handbook as a toolkit and resource to assistmunicipalities to integrate HIV into the IDP. She indicated thatthe toolkit was developed in response to a perceived gapcreated by the fact that national plans do not adequatelyaddress policy implications at local level. The toolkit consists ofvery practical tools for officials at municipal level to respond toHIV as a development issue. The document consists of 2 partswith the first section largely intended to provide the relevantinformation and knowledge. The second part deals with thepractical implementation and includes a hands-on workbook.

According to Dr Thomas, one way to ensure that HIV/AIDS isprioritised is to make it part of the key performance indicatorsof senior managers. She also emphasised the role of championsto drive the agenda as well as motivate for support andfunding.

In conclusion Dr Thomas emphasised the fact that municipalities’ responses should go beyond a mere mention in the IDPbut that it should include the thoughts and experiences ofpeople in the community. In recognising this, the toolkitprovides a number of tools to assist officials in facilitating work-shops with communities. She indicated that the toolkit will berolled out, in association with the DPLG, to all municipalitiesacross the country in the next three years and that discussionare underway with the TAC to be involved in the roll-out.

HIV/AIDS and Sustainable HumanSettlements Development in South Africa:An Introductory Guide for MunicipalPractitioners: Mr Terence Smith

In introducing this guide, Mr Smith highlighted the SouthAfrican context with its high HIV/AIDS prevalence andapartheid human settlements legacy as the key drivers fordeveloping this resource. He suggested that there is an urgentneed to revisit the fundamental principles of sustainablehuman settlements particularly in light of the link between HIV/AIDS, poverty and underdevelopment.

This guide is specifically aimed at:• Local government practitioners & policy-makers• Housing practitioners, planners, IDP managers, Heads of

Departments, councilors• Relevant provincial & national government practitioners &

policy-makers

2 Department of Health’s HIV and AIDS and STI National Strategic Plan for South Africa 2007-2011, Department of Provincial and Local Government Framework for an integrated localgovernment response to HIV/AIDS, South African Local Government Association’s plan on HIV and AIDS

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• Private sector built environment professionals• Civil society organisations

It is intended to offer practical suggestions for how to integrateHIV/AIDS into human settlement development processes. Heprovided a brief outline of the guide which is divided into twosections. Part A deals with the conceptual linkages between HIV/AIDS and sustainable settlements while Part B discusses priori-ties & strategies for integrating HIV/AIDS into sustainablehuman settlements development.

He pointed out that Part B concentrates primarily on how toaddress vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, treatment and mitigating theimpacts of infection in urban informal settlements and newlybuilt formal settlements.

In Part B the guide examines priorities and strategies forintegrating HIV/AIDS into sustainable human settlementsdevelopment processes. This section looks at the options forinformal settlements upgrading because many of the factors thathave been highlighted as key in increasing vulnerability to HIVexist in these areas. While it is recognised that all the needs ofpeople in informal settlements cannot be addressed immedi-ately, the guide promotes in-situ upgrading in a manner that isconscious of the risk factors created by HIV/AIDS.

This section also considers the creation of new greenfields (RDP)settlements. It discusses human settlements design considera-tions in the context of HIV/AIDS. For example, when buildinga new RDP house it is important that the size of the plot isconsidered as it is relevant to improving health, comfort,dignity and well-being of occupants by enabling the unit to beexpanded if necessary. This will also reduce overcrowding andthe possible spread of disease. In addition, the plot can be usedto grow food which can be used to enhance the nutritionalintake of residents and also be sold to supplement householdincome. Other examples of unit design considerations includeinternal partitioning to provide privacy and dignity, adequateventilation and adequate lighting.

The guide then goes on to discuss how HIV/AIDS can beintegrated into the implementation or delivery phase of thehuman settlements development process, namely the construc-tion of housing, basic infrastructure and community andeconomic facilities. He concluded his presentation by empha-sising the impact of HIV/AIDS on the sustainability of newsettlements, its potential impacts on municipal revenue and theimportance of ongoing municipal support to poor communitiesthrough the indigent policy, the provision of affordable servicesand social & economic development programmes.

Questions and comments from participants• A participant commented that the emphasis in the past

few years has been mostly on housing and urbanplanning with officials not recognising the link betweenhousing and health (including environmental health)issues. Only now, is the link between sustainable humansettlements and health becoming clearer. However, thequestion was asked whether HIV/AIDS should not be seenas a secondary symptom of environmental health andwhether the focus should therefore not be on housing,sustainable human settlements and health instead ofspecifically focussing on HIV/AIDS?

• Regarding the role of champions, participants questionedwhether this would work in smaller municipalities andalso whether the support of individual champions issustainable.

• This initiative might be too big for municipalities to dealwith on their own. A suggestion was made that emphasisbe placed on municipal areas as a whole instead ofinformal settlements in particular.

• Another key concern is the issue of capacity building aswell as ensuring the availability of financial resourcesparticularly for smaller municipalities.

• A representative from SALGA indicated that the associa-tion was aware of capacity constraints in municipalities,particularly in rural areas and that the SALGA planattempts to respond to this concern. However it was alsoacknowledged that SALGA needs to incorporate andstreamline its plan with the DPLG framework and theNational Strategic Plan.

• Many departments, at all spheres of government are stillstruggling with the concept of intergovernmentalrelations. However, it should be recognised that alignmentis not easy and departments continue to experience anumber of problems, particularly in relation to theimplementation of the sustainable human settlementagenda, which is so dependant on alignment with anumber of different departments.

Responses• It is important to understand the health complexity within

which HIV/AIDS exists and HIV/AIDS should be seen as amotivating factor that provides an extra “push.” However,it is important for government to think about the role ofenvironmental health and its effects on service delivery asthis issue is often overlooked in the response to develop-mental issues in urban areas. In the Isandla Instituteguide, HIV/AIDS is used as an entry point to look at basichealth issues and concerns.

• It is important to focus on creating sustainable partner-ships, not only with external champions like funders butalso with all those interested in or involved in addressing

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the HIV/AIDS epidemic. For example, faith based organi-sations (FBOs) are important for supplementing servicesand resources provided by the state but this needs to bedone in partnership. While it is important to rememberthat municipalities are often overwhelmed and require thesupport from external as well as internal champions, it isimportant that there is not an over reliance on theseactors.

• A lot of what is suggested in the Isandla Institute guide,are services that municipalities are constitutionallymandated to do. Thus, what is advocated does notnecessarily mean that municipalities require additionalresources. Instead, what municipalities should do is tolook at the environment within which services areprovided so that they are not responsible for contributingto the risk environment.

• Municipalities should see HIV/AIDS and health as an entrypoint into sustainable human settlements.

• Local government should play a facilitating role inpartnerships.

• In conclusion, emphasis was placed on the fact that weneed to move from policy to practice and find the mostviable options for implementation of the sustainablesettlements agenda.

Session 2: Learning Sessions:Information/knowledge exchange andcapacity building (informed by shortmunicipal case studies)

In this session, participants were asked to select one of threebreakaway groups in which to participate. These groups were;HIV/AIDS in the workplace, HIV/AIDS and IDPs and HIV/AIDS,shelter provision and settlement planning

Session 2.1: HIV/AIDS in the workplace

Presentation by Mr Herman van der Watt (City of Cape Town)

Mr van der Watt, City of Cape Town HIV/AIDS WorkplaceProgramme Manager, provided a brief introduction to theworkplace response by the City of Cape Town. He pointed outthat the strategic thrust of the programme was centred onbuilding sustainable communities by concentrating on minimis-ing the risk of HIV infection and the impact of HIV infection onboth employees and their families. In order to achieve this, theCity of Cape Town provides both testing and treatmentfacilities to employees and their families. Mr van der Wattemphasised the important role played by the councillor of healthwho is also the chairperson of the HIV/AIDS coordinatingcommittee. Having the councillor as a political champion,

together with the director of health committed to addressingHIV/AIDS has meant that it ha been put on the agenda andprioritised within the municipality.

Presentation by Ms Denise Casojee (Buffalo City)

The occupational health and safety practitioner in the BuffaloCity Municipality, Ms Casoojee, highlighted the experiences ofthe Buffalo City municipality in the Eastern Cape in developingtheir workplace programme. After recognising the impact of HIV/AIDS both in the country as a whole but also in their ownconstituency, the Buffalo City municipality conducted a preva-lence study in 2004. She indicated that the implementation ofthe workplace programme was successful due to the fact that itnot only enjoyed support from the political leadership but alsofrom the departments of labour and health. In addition, theprogramme implementation was assisted by a research team(consisting of representatives from the Medical ResearchCouncil (MRC), Boston University and Epicentre) as well as theSwedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Though therehave been some challenges, like the continuing stigma andresource constraints, this programme has been successfullyimplemented and is continually developing and expanding.

DiscussionIn response to the presentations participants asked about theextent to which the current internal programme has influencedthe municipality’s external response in the communities that itserves. Another question related to the role of management inthe implementation of these programmes and to what extentthere is buy-in from senior managers in the municipality.

During the subsequent discussion, a number of issues wereraised. One of the key comments was the fact that most munici-palities have implemented workplace programme but this wasnot mirrored in an external response to HIV/AIDS.

Participants also highlighted the challenges they experiencedin trying to implement their respective programmes. Theseinclude a lack of leadership support, a lack of buy-in andconstant political changes. Due to the latter it often feels asthough programmes have to be implemented from scratch whenthere has been a change over of political power. In addition,managers tend to think very narrowly in terms of servicedelivery and are not open to capacity building and broadeningof their understanding of service delivery. In Buffalo City thisprogramme is being addressed through the establishment ofcommittees that meet regularly to discuss concerns around HIV/AIDS. Another possibility is to have HIV/AIDS as a performancetarget on the scorecards of directors and to have them reporton their progress on a regular basis.

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Further recommendations and suggestions from participantsincluded the following:• Lobby SALGA to ensure that HIV be included as a key

performance indicator of Section 57 Managers.• Public/private partnerships should be encouraged.• There is a need to realign and rethink the current

approach to HIV/AIDS and to find innovative and creativeways to respond to HIV/AIDS.

• In terms of the leadership issue, it is not possible to“force” leaders to buy into responses to HIV/AIDS. Oneway of overcoming this is to make strategic use ofpolitical champions to gain entry to the relevant personsand programmes. At the same time it is important thatthe programme is not entirely dependant on an individualpolitical champion.

• Finally, it is important to increase the involvement ofcommunities by using public holidays/events and otherexisting platforms to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Inaddition, municipalities should create partnerships withall stakeholders including NGO’s, FBO’s, CBO’s, home-based care givers, traditional leaders and AIDS Councils.

• Participants felt that it was important that the informationpresented at this seminar be shared with their colleaguesand senior managers in their respective municipalities.

Session 2.2 – HIV/AIDS and IDPs3

Participants in this session started off by indicating that theyhad varied success in implementing an effective HIV/AIDSstrategy. The discussion started off by identifying some key pointsnecessary for a successful response to HIV/AIDS. This includes:• Existence of effective and supportive leadership• Political buy-in and support from champions• Receiving adequate and up to date data from health

departments• Key performance areas for all staff• External mentoring• Exchange visits to other municipalities in order to learn

from their experiences• Support and guidance from the provincial leadership

Many municipalities are experiencing difficulties in developinga response. Part ic ipants indicated that i t is importantto highlight the consequences of not responding to HIV/AIDSeffectively and how the failure to respond exacerbates develop-ment problems. Another way to encourage municipalities tobecome more proactive in their response to HIV/AIDS is toinclude it in performance evaluations, to engage in informationsharing with their counterparts in other provinces, to set up aregular reporting system and finally, to include it in the annualDPLG Vuna Awards.

Participants decided on a number of suggestions to take theprocess forward. These include the following:• Regular feedback and information sharing should take

place between peers and colleagues.• Holding regular workshops with partners and other

departments on HIV/AIDS and the link with sustainablesettlements developments. These departments shouldinclude environmental health, engineering, housing,transport and health.

• It is important to promote integrated responses• A response to HIV/AIDS should be in the housing plan• It is important that all spheres of government understand

their roles in implementing sustainable human settle-ments. In addition, there should be more emphasis on theroles of and links between provincial governments andtheir local counterparts. Provincial governments can alsoplay an important role in facilitating information sharingbetween different municipalities.

• Municipalities should have a relationship with socialmovements and should inform and advise thesemovements

• It is very important that this conversation be continuedat national and provincial level through workshops andlearning events.

• Municipal practitioners should consider using politicalprocesses to their advantage

• It is important to conduct regular site visits, both ofprogrammes that have been successful and in areas whichhave been least successful in integrating HIV/AIDS intothe IDP

• Municipalities are not the only role players and thereforeit is necessary to target the education of professions likearchitecture and planning.

• The information disseminated at this seminar should befed back to local decision-makers and the researchreports circulated and disseminated to the relevantpeople.

Session 2.3 – HIV/AIDS, shelter provision andsettlement planning

Presentation by Mr Patrick Shao (City of Johannesburg)

In recognising the changing need created by the plight ofvulnerable children, the City of Johannesburg has createda child-headed household policy. Mr Shao, from the City’shousing department, indicated that the need for a response washighlighted by the registry for social grants, which indicatedthat there are 6200 child-headed households and that thisfigure is projected to grow to more than 140 000 by 2010.

3 Due to unforeseen circumstances, the presenter for this session could not be in attendance.

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The problems faced by child headed households include thefollowing:• Violation of property rights• Eviction due to non-payment of services, bonds etc.• Often children who fall within this category are not old

enough to contract and therefore not able to access ahousing subsidy.

The policy of the City of Johannesburg attempts to respond tothis situation by providing a range of housing support interven-tions in order to protect the property rights of children. Thispolicy, initiated by the Department of Community Development,also enjoyed the input and support from the local departmentsof health and treasury. Though these policies recognise and takeinto consideration the impact of HIV/AIDS, it is not limited tochildren infected with or affected by the epidemic and seeks torespond to the needs of all vulnerable children. However, theissue of stigma means that there are a number of children whoare not benefiting from this support. Another challenge for thecity is the fact that it is difficult to measure the implentation ofthe policy, there is a policy vacuum at provincial level and muchempirical research is required to determine the relevance andsuccess of these programmes.

DiscussionDuring the questions and discussion period, key points weremade regarding this initiative by the City of Johannesburg. Whileit was generally regarded as a useful and important initiative,participants asked whether there was a sufficient support basefor child-headed households and whether the policy was ableto speak to some of the other needs experienced by vulnerablechildren. Also, it was pointed out that there was a clear need toreview the policy (in light of the changes in the Children’s Act)and also to ensure that all those who require support areidentified.

In response to these comments, Mr Shao indicated that thereexisted a number of HIV/AIDS awareness programmes and thatcommunity development workers were assigned the task offollowing up with households. In addition, attempts were madeto keep children in the community and where this was notpossible, children were assessed by social workers and placedin appropriate foster care. Finally, social workers also assistedchild-headed households with accessing social grants and otherforms of indigent support.

Participants also spoke of their experiences in developingpolicies in their municipalities which recognise special needslike disabilities, the needs of women, children, the aged andpeople living with HIV/AIDS.

Session 3: Report back of learningsessions

Key points• Performance evaluations on the implementation of HIV/

AIDS strategies should be a key component in all officials’performance agreements and particularly in the agree-ments of senior managers.

• Political champions are important in highlighting theimportance of HIV/AIDS interventions. However, theseinterventions should not become dependant on thesupport of an individual.

• Information sharing and learning processes, withindepartments and between departments across all spheresof government, are crucial.

• Partnerships with community-based organisations,business and civil society should be fostered.

• Information should also be disseminated to other relevantparties, particularly community organisations.

• It is critical that the voices of vulnerable groups, like thedisabled, youth, elderly, woman and people infected withand affected by HIV/AIDS are reflected in planning anddecision-making.

Session 4: Panel discussion: The roleof donor agencies in supportingmunicipal responses to HIV/AIDS

German Agency for Technical Co-operation(GTZ): Ms Masingita Khandlela

Ms Khandlela provided an input on behalf of the German Agencyfor Technical Co-operation, which provides support to the DPLGand a number of municipalities. She highlighted the challengeof integration in municipalities and indicated that even withinGTZ, HIV/AIDS is not integrated into all programmes. This istherefore not a concern that is unique to municipalities and isone that all relevant stakeholders should be addressing. Sheemphasised the need for learning exchanges and suggested thatone of the first steps for municipalities is to learn from theexperiences of their counterparts that have made attemptsimplement the sustainable human settlements agenda.Ms Khandlela emphasised the need for shelter and indicatedthat concentrating on the need for adequate shelter provisionis a very good way of including all departments in developmentplanning. She further critiqued the way that municipalities dotheir planning and emphasised that HIV/AIDS cannot merely bementioned in the foreword and situational analyses of the IDPbut that it should be integrated throughout the document.

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She made a number of recommendations:• It is important for municipalities to build partnerships

with stakeholders to effectively and adequately identifythe existing need and to determine an effective response.

• Experiences of different municipalities need to bedocumented and disseminated.

• There needs to be effective monitoring and evaluationas well as key performance indicators against whichmunicipal officials and particularly senior staff can beevaluated.

• It is important that municipalities undergo capacitybuilding in order to understand their role in addressingdevelopment and related to this, they need to understandthe link between HIV/AIDS and development.

• There needs to be greater clarity on the role of eachstakeholder.

Ms Khandlela concluded her presentation by emphasising thefact that everyone is affected by HIV/AIDS and it is thereforevital that municipalities play a role in reducing vulnerability tothe epidemic. She noted that GTZ, through their StrengtheningLocal Governance Programme, is committed to supporting localgovernment in mitigating the impacts of HIV/AIDS.

Consolidated Municipal TransformationProgramme (CMTP): Mr De Wit Visser

Mr De Wit Visser, national coordinator for the CMTP providedhis input on behalf of Mr Jackie Makgobola, CMTP programmemanagement coordinator, who was unable to attend. He startedoff by providing a brief background to the CMTP (a Dfid fundedprogramme) and their goal of consolidating accountable localgovernment and pro poor service delivery. This programmeconcentrates on capacity building and skills creation and theenhancement of best practice. Thus far, the CMTP has assistedeight municipalities across South Africa in developing andimplementing an HIV/AIDS strategy. During its engagement withthese municipalities, the CMTP has identified a number of keyfindings. This includes the fact that there continues to be littleunderstanding of HIV/AIDS. This is exacerbated by the lack ofeffective leadership and the lack of coordination betweenstakeholders. One of the key concerns is also the fact that HIV/AIDS has become compliance driven and that departmentscontinue to work in silos without any real understanding ofwhat it means to integrate and mainstream HIV/AIDS acrossdepartments.

Mr Visser concluded by emphasising that interventions toaddress HIV/AIDS will only work if effective capacity buildingtakes place at local government level. Also, municipalities needto concentrate on both internal and external interventions. Akey point is that HIV/AIDS has to be integrated into the IDP’s,

Business Plans, Budgets and Service Delivery and BudgetImplementation Plans (SDBIP) of municipalities. Finally, he notedthat it is important that provincial government plays asupportive role and that there is more efficient coordinationbetween provincial and local governments.

Comments and questions from participants• Participants noted that there is a perception that

municipalities are not doing anything to address HIV/AIDS. This is not entirely true and it should be recognisedthat the implementation of an effective HIV/AIDS strategyis a long-term issue particularly in light of capacity,constraints. In addition, there should be more emphasison the role of national and provincial governments inproviding the necessary assistance and support tomunicipalities to effectively implement strategies toaddress HIV/AIDS.

• Municipalities also deal with the fact that nobody wantsto own or take responsibility for HIV/AIDS initiatives.

• In order to assist municipalities, attention should also bepaid to capacitating communities through training andinformation sharing and the transfer of skills andknowledge.

• Another important role-player that should not beoverlooked is the business community. Attempts shouldbe made to build partnerships with the business sector.

Responses• Although it is important to recognise the attempts by

many municipalities to address HIV/AIDS this is notenough and more should be done. More importantly,municipalities need to understand the need to lookbeyond HIV/AIDS as a health and treatment concern andit should be incorporated into the day-to-day work ofmunicipalities. In addition, existing programmes shouldbe strengthened and improved.

• Municipalities need to look for partnerships for funding.One way of accessing additional funding is to considerthe donor funding that is available for training and skillsdevelopment.

Summary of key issues by Mirjam van Donk• A key point that emerged relates to the importance of

having guiding documents and policies that look at HIV/AIDS as a development issue. However, it should also beremembered that the real challenge is about how weoperationalise these policies and put them into practice.

• There is a clear need for data generation and analysis.However, it is also important to remember that at somepoint we need to act on the available information.

• Political leadership and leadership across different levels:what is needed is a willingness to experiment, to be

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innovative and to take the leap. This does not mean thatmunicipalities alone are responsible. Instead, municipali-ties should consider supporting existing local initiativesand this will also facilitate in partnership building.

• The role of local government can be defined as doer,enabler, coordinator/facilitator, connector and advocate.This does not always mean inventing new things butinstead using the tools that exist to effectively maximiseoutcomes.

• This seminar has created a successful space for learningand reflection but it only scratched the surface so therestill a need to explore new spaces and ways for takingforward what was learnt and discussed at this seminar.In particular, these learnings need to be shared withpoliticians, colleagues, DPLG and SALGA among others.

• Donor agencies play an important role but there is notalways a lot of alignment between what the differentagencies are doing and between donor agencies andmunicipalities. It is therefore important that donoragencies provide tailor made support in a sustainablemanner and that they guard against working in silos.

Concluding remarks byMs Mirjam van Donk

1. It is important to understand the health complexity ofHIV/AIDS as the epidemic can be a useful entry point tounderstanding the need for getting the basics right.However, while the developmental health angle isimportant, the response to HIV/AIDS should go beyondthis to incorporate transport, infrastructure, access tosocial and economic opportunities and access to basicservices and infrastructure.

2. Often strong emphasis is placed on centralised leadershipand state driven responses which can lead tooverplanning and overdebating. We therefore need to beclear on what we mean when we talk of alignment. Doesthis refer to greater control and ability to controloutcomes? Compliance and enforcement seem to becomethe key way to ensure that objectives have been carriedout but it is important to guard against actions becominga series of tick boxes. Another question that arosefocussed on the issue of whether or not too much isbeing expected from leaders and whether the state is infact structured in a way that allows leaders to surface?Furthermore, the system should be evaluated andorganised in a way that encourages participants to usethe structures in place to make comments and to engagein the response.

3. Government departments remain compartmentalised andcontinue to operate in silos. It is important that there is acollective effort to ensure that the response does not onlyconcentrate on housing but that through the intergovern-mental relations framework, all departments will realisetheir respective roles in creating sustainable humansettlements.

4. When talking about sustainable human settlements, it isimportant not to forget the notion of pleasure andfulfilment. While pleasure and fulfilment can be inter-preted from many perspectives, a particular challenge isto ensure that human settlements contribute to positivesexual behaviour and experiences. While acknowledgingthat for many women and girls sexual experiences maynot be pleasurable or fulfilling, this quality needs to betaken into account in human settlements planning andhousing design.

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John BarnesNorthern Cape Department of Housingand Local GovernmentTel. 053 830 9532lbarnes@sjp.ncape.gov.za

Chaatal BlignautEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 255 4781chaatalb@ekurhuleni.com

Deserea BruintjiesCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 2345Deserea.bruintjies@capetown.gov.za

Denise CasoojeeBuffalo City MunicipalityTel. 043 7437158denisec@buffalocity.gov.za

Virginia de AzevedoCity of Cape TownTel. 021 360 1358Virginia.deazevedo@capetown.gov.za

Andre du PlessisCity of TshwaneTel. 012 358 7681Andrepi@tshwane.gov.za

Ronald EglinAfesis CorplanTel. 043 743 3830Ronald@afesis.org.za

Ilse Eigelaar-MeetsWestern Cape Department of Local Governmentand HousingTel. 021 483 5247iemeets@pgwc.gov.za

Hermine EngelPlanactTel. 011 403 6291Hermine@planact.org.za

Machiel ErasmusCity of TshwaneTel. 012 358 7681machiele@tshwane.gov.za

Katherine EwingNM and AssociatesTel. 021 671 1138Katie@visionplan.co.za

Clive FelixUrban Services GroupTel. 041 585 4017clive@usg.org.za

Johanna FrancisCity of Cape TownJohanna.francis@capetown.gov.za

Rodney HarberHarber and AssociatesTel. 031 209 8384rodneyharber@mweb.co.za

Godfrey HilizaEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 255 4687godfreyh@ekurhuleni.com

Nathan GeffenTreatment Action CampaignTel. 021 788 3507Nathan@tac.org.za

Stacey-Leigh JosephIsandla InstituteTel. 021 465 8751staceyleigh@isandla.org.za

Andre KermisCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 2547Andre.kermis@capetown.gov.za

Thandi KabweniIsandla InstituteTel. 021 465 8751

Betty KgareCapricorn District MunicipalityTel. 015 294 1056chairhealth@cdm.org.za

Masingita KhandlelaGerman Agency for Technical Cooperationmasingitak@dplg.gov.zamasingita@nashuasp.co.za

Nolitha KluBuffalo City MunicipalityTel. 043 705 2700Nolithak@buffalocity.gov.za

Victoria LawrenceEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 889 4091vickyl@ekurhuleni.com

Conference participants

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Leticia ManterIsandla InstituteTel. 021 465 8751admin@isandla.org.za

Andy ManyamaCity of TshwaneTel. 012 358 7681andym@tshwane.gov.za

Seth MaqetukaCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 3683Seth.maqetuka@capetown.gov.za

Ntombini MarrenganeWorld Bank012 431 3115ntombini@worldbank.org

Jeanette MasalaCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 2281Jeanette.masala@capetown.gov.za

Celine MazarsCentre for Municipal Research Advice (CMRA)Tel. 012 347 3848cmazars@cmra.org.za

Mzolisi MbikwaneGlobal Community Initiatives South AfricaTel. 011 463 1809mzolisi@cdtrust.co.za

Lorryn McVittyCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 2675Lorryn.mcvitty@capetown.gov.za

Sarah MekgoeEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 398 2001sarahm@ekurhuleni.com

Elizabeth MillsAIDS and Society Research Unit,Centre for Social Science ResearchTel. 021 650 5158e.mills@uct.ac.za

Nonceba MkangeliSizakuyenzaTel. 021 374 0800

Pheladi MojapeloEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 255 4672pheladim@ekurhuleni.com

Mahlaku MojapeloCapricorn District MunicipalityTel. 015 294 1000pimmspro@cdm.org.za

Shirley MolemaSALGATel. 012 369 8001smolema@salga.org.za

Nonceba MkangeliSizakuyenzaTel. 021 374 0800

Nombeko MpongoCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 4474Nombekocynthia.mpongo@capetown.gov.za

Nombulelo MsikinyaDPLGTel. 012 336 5622nombulelom@dplg.gov.za

Yugi NairCentre for HIV/AIDS Networking (HIVAN)Tel. 031 260 2279Nairy3ukzn.ac.za

Sanelisizwe NdlovuMsunduzi MunicipalityTel. 033 392 2079sanelisizwendlovu@msunduzi.gov.zalindiwe.khoza@msunduzi.gov.za

David NevesProgramme for Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)Tel. 021 959 3735dneves@uwc.ac.za

Seana NkhahleSouth African Cities NetworkTel. 011 407 6471Seana@sacities.net

Nolufefe Nonjeke-DlanjwaDevelopment Action Group (DAG)Tel. 021 448 7886nolufefen@dag.org.za

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Yoliswa NotsheIndependent Development TrustTel. 021 426 4588yoliswan@idt.org.za

Andre OlivierOrganisation Development Africa (ODA)Tel. 021 422 2970info@oda.co.za

Sumetee PahwaOrganisation Development Africa (ODA)Tel. 021 422 2970sumetee@oda.co.za

Yusuf PatelDPLGTel. 012 334 0824yusuf@dplg.gov.zazodwam@dplg.gov.za

Zintle PeterExecutive Mayor for Buffalo CityTel. 043 705 1072

Nomfanelo PlaatjieSizakuyenzaTel. 021 374 0800

Justice RathupetsaneCapricorn District MunicipalityTel. 015 294 1114pamm@cdm.org.za

Urmila SankarEthekwini MunicipalityTel. 083 272 0451sankaru@durban.gov.za

Boniswa SetiTreatment Action CampaignTel. 021 447 2593Boniswa@tac.org.za

Patrick ShaoCity of JohannesburgTel. 011 407 7014patricksh@joburg.org.za

Dan SmitAdvisor to National Minister of Housingdansmit@mweb.co.za

Terence SmithIsandla InstituteTel. 084 888 8664terence@telkomsa.net

Molefi ThibediEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 899 4901

Liz ThomasMedical Research Council (MRC)Tel. 011 242 9919Liz.thomas@nhls.ac.zaethomas@mrc.ac.za

Andile TolomNelson Mandela Bay MunicipalityTel. 041 508 7426atolom@mandelametro.gov.za

Lesley TruterCity of Cape TownTel. 021 347 3848Lesley.truter@capetown.gov.za

Pamela Tsolekile-de WetCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 4409Pamela.tsolekile@capetown.gov.za

Herman van der WattCity of Cape TownTel. 021 400 2630Hermanbeyers.vanderwatt@capetown.gov.za

Mirjam van DonkIsandla InstituteTel. 021 465 8751Mirjam@isandla.org.za

Danny VengedasamySocial Housing FoundationTel. 011 274 6218/21dannyv@shf.org.za

Pinky VilakaziUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Tel. 012 354 8152Pinky.vilakazi@undp.org

De Wit VisserConsolidated Municipal Transformation ProgrammeTel. 082 335 0554vecon@mweb.co.za

Mfaniseni ZuluEkurhuleni Metropolitan MunicipalityTel. 011 899 4901

Patricia ZweigPatricia Zweig ResearchTel. 021 788 8291zweig@absamail.co.za

20

‘Positive’ SpacesSustainable Human Settlements in the Context of HIV/AIDS18 - 19 September 2007, Cape Manor Hotel, Cape Town

National Seminar hosted by Isandla Institute and the South African Cities Network09:30 – 11:00 Session 1. Sustainable human settlements in the context of HIV/AIDS.

Welcome: Ms Zintle Peter (Executive Mayor of Buffalo City and Acting Chairperson,South African Cities Network)Keynote address: Sustainable Human Settlements in the context of HIV/AIDS(Professor Dan Smit, Advisor to Minister of Housing)The role of municipalities in realising Sustainable Human Settlements (Mr Yusuf Patel, Deputy DirectorGeneral, Department of Provincial and Local Government)Discussion

11:00 – 11:30 TEA11:30 – 12:45 Session 2. Policy and human rights imperatives for integrating HIV/AIDS in sustainable human

settlements planning.Building ‘Positive’ Spaces: Sustainable Human Settlements Development in the Context of HIV/AIDS(Ms Stacey-Leigh Joseph, Isandla Institute)A TAC perspective on Sustainable Human Settlements (Mr Nathan Geffen, Treatment Action Campaign)Discussion

12:45 – 13:45 LUNCH13:45 – 15:15 Session 3. Imperatives for integrating HIV/AIDS into settlement design

and housing unit design.Integrating HIV/AIDS into settlement design and planning (Professor Rodney Harber, Harber & Associates)A perspective on HIV/AIDS and shelter provision (Ms Nonceba Mkangeli, Sizakuyenza)Discussion

15:15 – 16:00 Session 4. Lessons from international experience.International perspective on HIV/AIDS and slum upgrading (Ms Pinky Vilakazi, UN-Habitat)Discussion

16:00 – 16:15 Wrap up and closure16:15 – 17:15 Cocktail function: Launch - HIV/AIDS and Sustainable Human Settlements Development in South Africa:

An introductory Guide for Municipal Practitioners• Commentary by Ms Shanaaz Majiet (Head of Department, Western Cape Department of

Housing and Local Government)• Performance by Ms Khadija Heeger (Spoken Word Artist)

Learning event hosted by Isandla Institute and the South African Cities Network09:00 – 10:45 Session 1. An overview of guiding documents for integrating HIV/AIDS

into local governance and development.WelcomeOverview of frameworks on the role of local government in terms of HIV/AIDS (HIV and AIDS and STINational Strategic Plan for South Africa 2007 - 2011, DPLG Framework for an integrated local governmentresponse to HIV/AIDS, SALGA local government plan on HIV and AIDS)(Ms Ntombini Marrengane, World Bank)INCA toolkit (Dr Liz Thomas, Medical Research Council)HIV/AIDS and Sustainable Human Settlements Development in South Africa: An introductory Guide forMunicipal Practitioners (Mr Terence Smith, Isandla Institute)Discussion

10:45 – 11:15 TEA11:15 – 13:00 Session 2. Learning Sessions: Information/knowledge exchange and capacity building

(informed by short municipal case studies)Session 2.1 – HIV/AIDS in the workplace (Buffalo City, City of Cape Town)Session 2.2 – HIV/AIDS and IDPs (Cacadu District)Session 2.3 – HIV/AIDS, shelter provision and settlement planning (City of Johannesburg)

13:00 – 14:00 LUNCH14:00 – 14:45 Session 3. Report back of learning sessions.

Report back and discussion14:45 – 15:45 Session 4. Panel discussion: The role of donor agencies in supporting municipal responses

to HIV/AIDS.Representatives from CMTP(Dfid) and GTZ outline their approach to integrating HIV/AIDS into localgovernance and development, with specific reference to human settlements development(Mr De Wit Visser, CMTP; Ms Masingita Khandlela, GTZ)

15:45 – 16:00 Wrap up and closure