THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN PAPER FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GREEN PAPER FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS Human Settlements Portfolio Committee 04November 2014

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

5. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

6. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

7. 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) Dr Zoleka Sokopo

8. TOWARDS TRANSFORMING HUMAN SETTLEMENTS • Outcome of Human Settlements: • Sustainable human settlements and improved quality of household life • Intermediate outcomes: • Adequate housing and improved quality living environments • A functionally equitable residential property market • Enhanced institutional capabilities for effective coordination of spatial investment decisions Dr Zoleka Sokopo

9. 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

10. 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

11. A CALL FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH Dr Zoleka Sokopo

12. PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

13. OTHER ASPECTS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

14. PRINCIPLES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN SETTLEMENTS • Access • Equity • Integration and Inclusion • Spatial targeting • Affordability SECRET

15. FOCUS OF THE GREEN PAPER • Develop bolder measures for the development of sustainable human settlements • Develop a more coherent and inclusive approach to land for human settlements i.e. develop overarching principles for spatial development • Develop a mechanism to respond systematically, to entrenched spatial patterns across all geographic scales that exacerbate social inequality and economic inefficiency • 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 • Revise the housing finance regime • Build capabilities for transforming human settlements Dr Zoleka Sokopo

16. STRENGTHENING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN • Policy Blueprint (Ideology, Theory and Application/Praxis). Sharpening current instruments • Policy Implementation (Theory, Model, Capacity and Resources) • Policy Evaluation (Efficiency, Effectiveness and Equity)

17. DEVELOPMENT CYCLE Programme A Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements Dr Zoleka Sokopo

18. 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. Dr Zoleka Sokopo

19. 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. Dr Zoleka Sokopo

20. 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. Dr Zoleka Sokopo

21. CURRENT LEGISLATION • Housing Act established a basis for all policies and programmes including related legislation • A need to review this piece of legislation Dr Zoleka Sokopo

22. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

23. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

24. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

25. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

26. CONTEXTUAL REALITIES • About 60% of population of South Africa is under the age of 34 • The average household income is about R103204 • 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

27. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

28. WHAT ELSE IS CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS SHAPING HUMAN SETTLEMENTS GREEN PAPER? Dr Zoleka Sokopo

29. 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

30. 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 Dr Zoleka Sokopo

31. 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

32. THANK YOU “We have come a long way – Celebrating 20 Years of Freedom!” Dr Zoleka Sokopo