Housing Assistance in Emergency Circumstances approved

Housing Minister Brigitte Mabandla today announced the amended version of the National Housing Programme dealing with housing assistance in emergency circumstances. This major policy intervention was recently approved by Housing MinMec’s (The Minister and MEC Meeting), and the roll out for the programme is scheduled for beginning of April this year.

Although Government’s primary objective is to undertake housing development, this amendment comes in reaction to the Constitutional Court’s judgment in the Grootboom case, which relates to the provision of the Constitution that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing, and that the State must take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right.

The rules for emergency housing circumstances relate to assistance to people who, for reasons beyond their control, find themselves in an emergency housing situation such as the fact that their existing shelter has been destroyed or damaged, their prevailing situation poses an immediate threat to their life, health and safety, or they have been evicted, or face the threat of eviction.

The assistance provided consists of prioritising funds from the provincial housing allocations to municipalities to give effect to accelerate land development, the provision of basic municipal engineering services and temporary shelter. The assistance provided falls short of formal housing as provided for in other Programmes of the Housing Subsidy Scheme contained in the Housing Code, and thus rendered only in emergency situations of exceptional housing need.

The main objective of this Programme therefore is to provide temporary housing relief to people in urban and rural areas who find themselves in emergencies. Consequently, this new Programme is instituted in terms of the Housing Act of 1997 and will be referred to as the National Housing Programme for Housing Assistance in Emergency Housing Circumstances.

Assistance under this Programme should wherever possible represent an initial phase towards a permanent housing solution. Where it is not possible to provide assistance at a place and in a manner that represents the initial phase towards a permanent housing solution, assistance under this Programme can be provided through the development of a temporary settlement area where feasible or practicable, while steps are being taken to prepare and develop land for permanent settlement purposes in terms of approved municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDP) and development priorities.

The Grootboom case concerned people in conditions of desperate need, whose immediate needs could be met only by relief, which fell short of the Government’s definition of housing development.

According to the Housing Act, housing development is defined as the “establishment and maintenance of habitable, stable and sustainable public and private residential environments to ensure viable households and communities in areas allowing convenient access to economic opportunities, and to health, educational and social amenities in which all citizens and permanent residents of the Republic will, on a progressive basis, have access to permanent residential structures with secure tenure, ensuring internal and external privacy, and providing adequate protection against the elements, and potable water, adequate sanitary facilities and domestic energy supply”. 

The existing national housing programmes have been based on this objective and the principles embodied therein. Despite the provision of more than 1,5 million houses since 1994, the backlog has continued to grow. Because of fiscal constraints and delivery capacity, the Government has accepted that it can only accomplish the delivery of housing to all in need on a progressive basis. This takes place within a structured programme based on priorities, fiscal constraints and achievable time frames.

But, events such as the severe floods in Limpopo Province in 2000, the recent and continuous fire outbreaks in the Western Cape and the landmark judgement in the Grootboom case, led Housing Minmec to authorise the development of a National Housing Programme to expedite action in order to relieve the severe plight of persons in emergency situations with exceptional housing needs.

Issued by:  Marléne Britz, Acting Director: Communication Services,

Tel. (012) 421-1538.  Cell: 082 892-6760