Land issues as a barrier to the supply of affordable housing: a case study of Marble Hall
Date
2008-08-19T12:07:28Z
Authors
Ntshudisane, Maureen J.
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Abstract
Internationally it is agreed that housing is a basic human need. The right to
housing is enshrined in the Bill of rights in the Constitution of South Africa
(section 26), which endorses the right of citizens to have access to adequate
housing (RSA, 1996). The state has an obligation to ensure that its citizens
have access to adequate housing. Government in South Africa is committed
to the establishment of a society based on social justice, where the quality of
life of all citizens will be improved and their potential maximized.
Government's commitment to fulfilling the right to housing for all its citizens is
evident in the housing policies it has formulated, the most recent being the
Breaking New Ground strategy.
South Africa is experiencing a shortage of affordable housing. Low-middle
income earners are struggling to own a house in the urban area. The market
is failing to respond to the demand for affordable housing. A number of
constraints are said to be contributing to this market failure: lack of effective
implementation strategies, poor promotion of tenure, inadequate supply of
affordable land and infrastructure, inadequacy of financial systems and poor
utilisation of local building materials and technologies (Erguden,2001). The
central argument in this dissertation is that land is a key issue hindering the
supply of affordable housing by the private sector. This dissertation
demonstrates that there is a case for state intervention to support the private
sector to supply affordable housing. The state needs to do what the market
does not (see Keivani et al, 2005 :2). Local government is seen as a key
player in facilitating the expansion of affordable housing by directly providing
land.
The dissertation addresses the obstacles that prevent Local government from
making land available as part of an effort to ensure the supply of affordable
housing. Research is presented that indicates that local authorities are given
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bigger roles to play in housing policies, but less power and resources to
implement. This implies that for the private sector to deliver affordable
housing, amongst others there is a need for innovative land management
approaches on the part of Local government for social justice to prevail.
Description
Keywords
Affordable housing, South Africa