CAPACITY BUILDING CHALLENGES

Abstract

The apartheid system in South Africa plunged the majority of the people in abject poverty and destitution, including homelessness. The post-apartheid South African government and society today are yet to lift the people out of abject poverty and destitution. The poor and the disadvantaged mostly live in informal settlements, because they are unable to build their own houses in the usual locations. Even when government tries its best to allocate RDP houses to them, other unmet needs make it difficult for them to experience wholesome transformation of their living conditions. They tend to sell or rent out their RDP houses and return to the informal settlements. The research findings has highlighted that when poverty and hunger strikes, the poor and the disadvantaged communities such as Madelakufa beneficiaries can go to the extreme to trade whatever is in their possession in order to put bread on the table. The findings of the data collected highlights that the main source behind the sales and rentals of RDP is due to poverty and unemployment. There is a need to close the gap caused by poverty and hunger among the poor and the disadvantaged communities. The allocation of RDP houses alone is not enough to develop and transform their lives for sustainable development. Capacity building through skills development of this community is crucial to enable them to enter the labour market and be able to cater for their own needs and not rely on government to provide for their necessities