Community involvement key in delivering sustainable housing

Since the democratic breakthrough, the government has made tremendous strides in delivering subsidised houses to the people, using various instruments.

This has been one of the fundamental programmes in addressing historical inequalities and restoring the dignity of the people, particularly the African majority.

In its 2019 election manifesto, the the ruling party recommitted itself to increasing its housing stock.

The Eastern Cape government has already delivered more than 28,000 new houses, with 22,600 sites serviced to date, enabling incremental house construction.

The 2022 census conducted by Stats SA reports a 20.4% increase in households living in formal dwellings in the province over 10 years, reaching 83.6% in 2022.

Access to piped water inside dwellings has also increased from 18.3% in 2001 to 49.5% in 2022, extending home ownership and growing the productive assets of the people.

Put into perspective, this percentage increase is the biggest out of all provinces during this period.

However, the need for shelter continues to grow, fuelled by factors such as urban migration for economic opportunities and a growing population among other things.

To this end, the National Development Plan (NDP) emphasises the need for integrated and inclusive sustainable human settlements that provide housing, amenities and infrastructure to all citizens, with a particular focus on addressing historical inequalities.

To achieve the envisaged pace in providing subsidised housing and establishing sustainable integrated human settlements, there is a greater need for the effective use of all available institutional instruments in collaboration with communities.

One of the most strategic human settlements instruments introduced by the government in the late 90s is the expanded people’s housing programme (EPHP).

This transformative initiative drives sustainable integrated human settlements, empowering communities through a robust funding model and welldefined institutional arrangements involving the national department, provincial department, municipality and community resource organisations (CROS).

The expanded housing programme boasts four funding streams: capital funding, capacity building, community contributions and bridging finance, ensuring a holistic approach to community development.

Community involvement allows for a thorough understanding of residents’ specific needs and preferences, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among the residents.

Reflecting on past experiences, it’s clear that thorough community resource organisations screening, beneficiary participation and adherence to legislation are paramount for project success.

When community members actively participate in the decision-making process, they are more likely to support and take care of the housing development, reducing the risk of vandalism, neglect or dissatisfaction.

By involving the community in the planning and design stages, housing projects can be culturally sensitive and respectful of local traditions, promoting a sense of belonging among the residents.

On November 17 2023, the Eastern Cape provincial government handed over the completed 180 EPHP housing project at Katberg in the Raymond Mhlaba local municipality.

In a government-led intervention on the plight of the displaced families, the municipality identified the land opposite the Katberg Hotel for the establishment of human settlements by the department.

The project now stands as a beautiful testimony to the successes of the expanded housing programme in the Katberg area, comprising completed houses, a primary school and a community hall, among other social facilities.

Families who were once displaced now have decent homes through the effective use of this instrument.

Various projects are in progress across the province, including the St Luke’s Project in the Buffalo City Metro, consisting of 203 housing units, currently 98% complete.

In Nelson Mandela Bay, the department is implementing two projects: the Walmer project, with 500 units, is 36% complete due to delays in the provision of serviced sites by the metro, and the Joe Slovo project, with 127 units, is at the procurement stage.

In the Chris Hani district municipality, the department is implementing four projects in Cala (Sakhisizwe local municipality), Chris Hani Heritage, Lubisi and Zwartwater, all above 90% of their completion.

Combined, these projects will produce more than 4,600 housing units.

Additionally, in the Amathole district municipality, the department is implementing the Readsdale project, which will see the construction of 137 houses.

The heart of the expanded people’s housing programme lies in community involvement.

Ongoing projects, such as St Luke’s, Readsdale, and others, showcase commendable progress in creating sustainable housing.

These projects not only address housing needs but also empower communities through workshops, co-operative support and education sessions.

We urge community members to actively engage with the programme.

Your participation in project identification, committee formation and project planning can shape the future of our neighbourhoods.

Learn from successful projects like Katberg and St Luke’s, where community co-ops were established, or Readsdale, where capacity challenges were overcome for successful delivery.

By participating in this transformative programme, we can collectively build vibrant, selfsustaining communities.

Collaboration between different levels of government, as well as partnerships with the private sector and civil society, is essential for the successful implementation of the human settlement goals outlined in the National Development Plan.

Let’s embrace the opportunities the expanded people’s housing programme provides and contribute to the ongoing success of sustainable integrated human settlements.

It is through innovative thinking and collaboration we will build the sustainable integrated human settlements that will change the landscape of the province.