The State Of Land Release In South Africa
Written by Querida Saal & Helen Rourke. In November 2020, the national Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation announced with great fanfare that the government will no longer prioritise building houses for qualifying applicants, but instead focus its interventions on providing serviced land which people can use to build their homes themselves. The reprioritisation […]
Community Dialogue: Will local government deliver on the promises to release public land for affordable housing post the elections?
Bright and early on Saturday 30 October, mere days before the 2021 local government elections (LGE/elections), community leaders, activists and interested community members from across the city made their way towards Mitchells Plain. Their purpose, to participate in DAG’s Urban Forum IV, a community dialogue hosted under the theme: Local / Municipal Government and the Release of […]
Community Dialogue Presentation: Human Settlements Sector Plan Spells Out Huge Changes For Housing Delivery.
On the 3rd of March 2022, DAG met with around 50 community partners and other interested parties to discuss the City of Cape Town’s first draft of the Integrated Human Settlements Sector Plan (IHSP). This plan sets out the City’s strategy for housing delivery over the next five years (2022 – 2027). The draft Sector Plan […]
The Importance of Micro-Developers for Affordable Housing Provision
At a time when the government is increasingly questioning the sustainability of its housing subsidy programme, the importance of supporting and providing incentives to the rental sector in township areas has become more apparent than ever before. In the past 18 months, the City of Cape Town has developed initiatives to support and create an enabling environment […]
1in5 people live in informality: DAG Reaction to the State of South African Cities Report
Earlier this month, the South African Cities Network (SACN) released their State of Cities Report (SOCR). A report that is published every 5 years by the SACN, to provide an overall picture of the state of South African cities and their functioning. The most concerning finding from this report is that currently in South African cities one in five […]
Settlements Budget Vote In The National Assembly
Statement Issued by: Development Action Group Minister Sisulu’s delivery of the budget speech shed some interesting light into the direction of the housing programme. It is important for citizens to understand the implications of the approach outlined by the Minister. For the last 35 years, DAG has worked along with community based and civic organisations […]
Is The Sale Of City Owned Rental Stock A Good Idea?
Is the City ready to deal with complex inadvertent issues linked to the sale of historical public rental stock? The City of Cape Town’s Human Settlements Directorate is offering about 9 000 qualifying tenants who are living in Council-owned rental properties the opportunity to purchase their units and to become property owners. These properties include […]
Backyard Dwellers Have Inadequate Access to Basic Services on Private Land
“Municipalities can and must provide basic services to backyard residents who live on private land.” - Eerste River community leader. The backyard sector has been providing housing solutions to thousands of families without the necessary recognition and support from the government. Even though this sector plays an essential role in housing provision in South African cities, […]
Backyard Matters: Empowering Communities through Collective Advocacy
Introduction:Backyards are more than just spaces behind houses; they are vibrant communities but face numerous challenges. Working together and speaking with one voice can make a significant difference. In May this year, community representatives from Bellville South, Maitland Garden Village, Mitchell’s Plain, Eerste River, Manenberg, Bluedowns, and Bonteheuwel joined the Development Action Group (DAG) on […]
Johannesburg Transitional Housing Learning Tour
The Development Action Group (DAG), in partnership with the National Association of Social Housing Organisations (NASHO) and University of Cambridge hosted a Transitional Housing Learning Tour in Johannesburg, from the 26th to the 27th of May 2022. The Johannesburg Transitional Housing Learning tour saw 30 participants from across local and international civil society, local and provincial government coming together […]