THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN PAPER FOR HUMAN

SETTLEMENTS

Human Settlements Portfolio Committee04 November 2014

OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION

• The purpose of a green paper• Process of development• The national development plan• A vision for human settlements • The focus of the green paper• Addressing current challenges

Dr Zoleka Sokopo 2

PURPOSE OF A GREEN PAPER

• To develop a 20-30 year strategy for the development of human settlements

• To establish a foundation for the review and development of legislative framework for human settlements

Dr Zoleka Sokopo 3

GREEN PAPER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

• Determine what should be achieved– Determine the expected impact on society– Determine long term outcomes

• Issue analysis – Understanding the problem – Comparative data and analysis

• Development of policy options – A conceptual framework – Identify the expected outcomes– Develop policy options

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GREEN PAPER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

• Consultation – Determine Who, What, When, Where, Why and How

of Consultation– Understand that when it comes to consultation

there is no one size fits all

• Monitoring and Evaluation – Performance measurement should not be handled

as an after thought to the policy development process. This should be an integral part of the process as this assist in the refinement of expected outcomes

– Decisions on the indicators and whether data sources exist are decided earlier

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A VISION FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS • By 2050 visible results from effectively

coordinated spatial planning systems shall have transformed human settlements in South Africa into equitable and efficient spaces with citizens living in close proximity to work and access to social facilities and necessary infrastructure

• By 2030, measurable progress shall have been made towards breaking apartheid spatial patterns, with significant progress towards retrofitting existing settlements offering the majority of South Africans access to adequate housing,affordable services in better living environments, within a more equitable and functional residential property market

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HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

• Human settlements are well-managed entities in which economic growth and social development are in balance with the carrying capacity of the natural systems on which they depend for their existence and result in sustainable development, wealth creation, poverty alleviation and equity (CPDSHS:2004)

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TOWARDS TRANSFORMING HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

• Outcome of Human Settlements: – Sustainable human settlements and improved

quality of household life

• Intermediate outcomes:a)Adequate housing and improved quality living

environments b)A functionally equitable residential property

market c)Enhanced institutional capabilities for effective

coordination of spatial investment decisions

Dr Zoleka Sokopo 8

QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS

• Housing: Housing tenure; Housing costs and affordability; Household crowding; Government housing provision; Urban housing intensification; Housing accessibility

• Built environment: Look and feel of the city; Land use; Traffic and transport; Public transport; Access to services; Density

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QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS

• Safety: Perceptions of safety; Child safety; Injuries; Road safety; Workplace Safety; Crime Levels

• Social connectedness: Overall quality of life assessment; Diversity and identity; Local community strength and spirit; Electronic communication; Arts and culture

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A CALL FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH

Dr Zoleka Sokopo 11

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

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OTHER ASPECTS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

PRINCIPLES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS• Access• Equity • Integration and Inclusion • Spatial targeting • Affordability

SECRET 14

FOCUS OF THE GREEN PAPER1. Develop bolder measures for the development of

sustainable human settlements2. Develop a more coherent and inclusive approach to land

for human settlements i.e. develop overarching principles for spatial development

3. Develop a mechanism to respond systematically, to entrenched spatial patterns across all geographic scales that exacerbate social inequality and economic inefficiency

4. Review housing policies to better realise constitutional housing rights, ensure that the delivery of housing is used to restructure towns and cities and strengthen the livelihood prospects of households. Revise the finance regime, tackle informal settlements and expand affordable rental opportunities

5. Revise the housing finance regime 6. Build capabilities for transforming human settlements

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STRENGTHENING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

1. Policy Blueprint (Ideology, Theory and Application/Praxis). Sharpening current instruments

2. Policy Implementation (Theory, Model, Capacity and Resources)

3. Policy Evaluation (Efficiency, Effectiveness and Equity)

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DEVELOPMENT CYCLE

ProgrammeProgrammeProgrammeProgramme

A Strategy for the A Strategy for the Development of Development of

Sustainable Human Sustainable Human Settlements Settlements

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KEY POLICIES SINCE 1994• A New Housing Policy and Strategy for South Africa –

1994– Government will vigorously promote an effective right to housing

for all, within the resource and other limitations applicable to it– White paper adopts a multi-faceted approach towards serving all

segments of the market with particular emphasis on the poor and– Realisation of these objectives should essentially be driven at a

local and provincial level

• A Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements – 2004– Adopted as a framework for the development of sustainable human

settlements. – It is based on the principles contained in the 1994 White Paper, such as

providing citizens with a permanent residential structure with secure tenure, potable water, adequate sanitation facilities, and domestic energy supply, and outlines the strategies to achieve the Government’s overall housing aim.

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THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN

SETTLEMENTS

• Accelerate housing delivery;• Improve the quality of housing

products and environments to ensure asset creation;

• Ensure a single efficient formal housing market; and

• Restructure and reintegrate human settlements.

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SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS ASPECTS OF THE PLAN

• Creating a non-racial, integrated society;• Utilising housing delivery as a strategy to alleviate

poverty and job creation;• Ensuring that property can be accessed by all as

an asset for wealth creation and empowerment;• Leveraging economic growth;• Combating crime, promoting social cohesion, and

improving the quality of life of the poor; and• Supporting a single residential property market by

breaking the barriers between the first residential property market and the second property market.

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CURRENT LEGISLATION

• Housing Act established a basis for all policies and programmes including related legislation

• A need to review this piece of legislation

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THEORETICAL PRAXIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN

PAPER• Understanding that:– Cities, towns, farms, villages, etc. are

geographic spaces for human settlements – human settlements are the spatial dimension

as well as the physical expression of economic and social activity

– Human Settlements are the most visible expression of a society's ability to satisfy some of the fundamental needs of its members as they can mark accomplishments as well as expose destitution, neglect and inequality

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CHALLENGES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

(NPC) • Spatial planning– Despite efforts to transform South Africa’s

urban areas, many housing projects do not create efficient urban spaces

– Dysfunctional settlement patterns across the country

–Weak spatial planning and capabilities for spatial governance

– Poor spatial targeting continues

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CHALLENGES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Urbanisation– 60% of SA populations live in urban areas - this will

increase to about 70% by 2030– Gauteng province and cities of eThekwini and Cape

Town are the fastest growing – Increased demand for government assistance in

housing as a result of rapid urbanisation and high levels of unemployment

– Circular migration of households with more than one house make it difficult to understand the real demand for housing

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CHALLENGES OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Shelter– The focus has been on housing rather than on developing quality

environments for low-income communities, supported by the necessary physical, social and environmental services

– State-provided houses are not being integrated into the property market because there is a delay in registration and issuing of title deeds, and households are not allowed to sell their subsidised houses for eight years after receiving it

– Challenges of providing housing and basic services and reactivating communities

– Private investment into housing at the lower end of the market is very slow– There is a growing gap market as many households with an income above

the threshold for receiving a subsidized house have neither access to a private bond nor adequate government support

– Inadequate attention is paid to rental accommodation across income bands. There is not enough incentive for public and private investors to invest in rental housing. The government lacks operational capacity to manage rental stock

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CONTEXTUAL REALITIES• About 60% of population of South Africa is under

the age of 34 • The average household income is about R103 204• Increasing demand for housing - 2 million

households in urban areas alone that live in sub-standard housing conditions

• Over 2m households are depended on the intervention of the state for housing

• About 3.5 million households do not qualify for full government subsidy or mortgage finance

• In the past 5 years provisions of housing has declined

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ACHIEVEMENTS • About 3.2m housing opportunities provided since

1994• Setting standards for housing • Development of mega project to test the IRDP

principles• The development of the Informal Settlements

Upgrading Programme • Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme • Change in housing subsidy• Funding for restructuring zones • Development of funding streams for land

acquisistion

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WHAT ELSE IS CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS SHAPING HUMAN

SETTLEMENTS GREEN PAPER?

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A RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PLAN• Development of a human settlements

macro strategy that responds to:– National Development Plan – Constitutional mandate of the Department of

Human Settlements – Development of sustainable human

settlements– Lessons learnt in the application of policies and

programmes in the last 20 years

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APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS GREEN

PAPER

• Phase 1: Conceptualisation • Phase 2: Development• Phase 3: Consultation • Phase 4: Revision • Phase 5: Finalisation • Phase 6: Closure

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THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

• There are no quick fixes for transforming the functioning of human settlements and the

workings of the space economy. However, bold measures taken over a sustained period could change the trajectories of spatial development and could mean considerable

gains for ordinary citizens and for the national economy. This process must start now to stop

and reverse the dysfunctional patterns that have continued since 1994

THANK YOU

“We have come a long way – Celebrating 20 Years of Freedom!”

Dr Zoleka Sokopo 32