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BACKGROUND National Development Agenda and Presidential Imperatives: South Africa is a country with significant socio-economic development. The majority of South Africans have limited or non-existent access to basic infrastructure, services, education, primary health care, housing and socio-economic opportunities. At present, the urban housing backlog exceeds 4.0 million, with many families living in squatter housing. Many people in South Africa do not have access to basic services, such as potable water (about 30% of all families), sanitation systems (45%) and electricity (40%).Over the past 12 years, the South African government has prioritized the eradication of the housing backlog through the provision of free and/or subsidized housing by means of a number of housing programmes such as housing subsidy scheme, special programmes e.t.c. The challenges pertaining to the housing backlog in South Africa are numerous, diverse and intricate. Sustainable Human Settlements: In addressing the above situation the Honourable Minister of Housing, Dr L Sisulu has now focussed attention towards the provision of quality houses which meet the minimum standards of human settlement. It will be a futile exercise to simply provide houses in huge quantities that will not stand the test of time insofar as quality is concerned. Breaking New Ground: The strategy incorporated in the Minister’s ‘Breaking New Ground’ (BNG) comprehensive plan, released in 2004 is to accelerate delivery, use housing provision as a job creation strategy, ensure access to property and home loans by all, leverage economic growth, combat crime, reduce duality within the housing market and develop integrated and sustainable human settlements, hence the Minister establishing the innovation hub at Soshanguve..Projects in Klipspruit (Soweto) The pilot Housing Innovation Project was established at the end of September 2006 (Soweto) in the Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng. The project, initiated by the Minister of Housing the honourable Dr. LN Sisulu, had been tasked to the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC). The objective of the project was to identify, draw-in and support innovative housing systems developed locally and internationally, with the ultimate aim of providing a wider choice of quality, aesthetically pleasing and affordable homes to the housing beneficiaries and end-users.The project comprises one housing typology:
Project in Soshanguve (Tshwane) The pilot Housing Innovation Project was established towards the end of 2005 at Thorntree View (Soshanguve A) in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng. The project, initiated by the Minister of Housing the honourable Dr. LN Sisulu, had been tasked to the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and ABSA. The objective of the project was to identify, draw-in and support innovative housing systems developed locally and internationally, with the ultimate aim of providing a wider choice of quality, aesthetically pleasing and affordable homes to the housing beneficiaries and end-users. The project was planned in two phases, viz. the Competition and Roll-out.Phase 1: The competition phase has since been completed and was planned in three rounds, i.e. Round 1: Pre-qualification, Round 2: Technical evaluation of detailed design and Round 3: Social evaluation Phase 2: Based on the competition participants and late entries participants, the roll-out of the first 226 houses commenced on the 15th of June, 2005. The project comprises three housing typologies:
For further information please contact: Ms Nthabiseng Mofana Ms Ntombi Mkhize
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