KEY-NOTE ADDRESS BY HOUSING MINISTER, MRS BRIGITTE MABANDLA AT THE LAUNCH OF MADIBENG HOUSING PROJECTS IN BRITS, NORTH WEST 23 February 2004.

Masters of Ceremony
Premier Molefe
MEC Afrika
Kgosi Motsatsi
Executive Mayor  Motsepe
Executive Mayor Tema
Counsellors
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Today, I am pleased to be launching the MADIBENG HOUSING PROJECT here in Brits. I am proud to be associated with a project that has contributed to improving the quality of life of this community. 

Sustainable housing development, as we have proved in the past ten years, is linked to many things beyond the mere construction of top structures. It is linked to the quality of the water we drink and the air we breathe, to the way we create employment, the way we manage waste, and to the integration of housing settlements into the economic areas of our communities. Perhaps most importantly, it is about the environment that we as people, as humans, create for our children and ourselves.   Housing is central to that environment, for many reasons.

As such housing continues to play a major role in the transformation of our landscape and land use patterns. Hence the South African government is always willing to engage with other stakeholders and especially communities to find ways to work together to deal with issues such as homelessness. It is against this backdrop that we have achieved success in housing millions in this country. As we engage in this important task we are conscious of the challenges still ahead of all of us.

This is the reason our achievements are not just about numbers - although I am sure you would agree with me that 1,6 million housing units since this government came in to power is an impressive number.

All of us - government at national, provincial and local level, the private sector, communities and individuals - are conscious of the role housing can play in creating and sustaining viable communities.

South Africa is, however, facing a unique housing problem. Whereas most countries are mainly focusing on meeting the emerging demand for housing resulting from new families and change in family size, South Africa has to first grapple with the housing backlog, a legacy of past neglect of the majority of our people by the apartheid government.  

Our experience in the past ten years has taught us that lack of adequate shelter does not discriminate between rural and urban households. Although, there are decent traditional dwellings in many rural settlements, it is clear that many of these do not meet the basic requirements in terms of the materials and methods used in constructing them. This is indeed a cause for concern. Hence, we have embarked on a strategy that ensures that we build new houses but also allows people to develop on existing homesteads to meet the needs of those who already have land that they have been staying on for years.

The government has always stressed the importance of partnerships in addressing housing issues. We have also maintained our stand with regards to the role that should be played by the local authorities.  I must however emphasise the fact that capacity among many municipalities still needs enhancing for speedy and efficient delivery of services and infrastructure.

Our housing policy and strategy also puts more emphasis on active participation of all stakeholders in housing developments. The role of tribal and local authorities as well as that of the beneficiaries themselves is crucial in the sustainability of human settlement developments. I can proudly say that it is this notion that has been the driving force in our delivery of 1, 6 million houses since 1994.

Our housing policy promotes a number of approaches and initiatives that encourage the involvement of both the private sector and the beneficiaries themselves in housing delivery. Through housing, the lives of the people of Madibeng have changed for the better. Solid, decent structures have emerged throughout Madibeng. Most importantly, these projects have demonstrated the success of the approach that promotes many alternative options, which are available to meet the diverse needs of our beneficiaries.  

One such pillar of our housing strategy is the People's Housing Process. Initiated in 1998, it has enabled individuals and communities to access land, services and technical assistance as well as a variety of building and administrative skills. The second of these approaches is the project-linked programme, which gives our emerging entrepreneurs an opportunity to enter the housing, and construction industry, thus creating wealth and employment for historically marginalized groups.

We are proud that this approach has helped us build partnerships with our communities and NGOs. The NGOs alone have built about 22 000 houses through the people’s housing process. In addition, our partnership with the communities and our beneficiaries has seen the steady rise in the number of PHP projects. We are satisfied with the rate at which the quality of our houses has been improving since 1999 and we hope all developers and project managers will work towards qualitative delivery for the benefit of our society.

Today, therefore, marks a historic moment for the households that will be getting homes from the projects we are launching. In turn, these houses will also improve the landscape of the settlements in which they are located. I am thus delighted to be celebrating this special moment with the people of Madibeng, especially those from Mothotlung, Damonsville, Letlhabile and Lethabong.  

I hope these projects will go a long way in promoting the necessary integration among the various communities. We all appreciate that the housing programme’s contribution to the socio-economic development of our society is massive and goes  beyond the mere housing structures that we see in these projects.  

The past ten years have seen housing not only bringing shelter to the homeless, but also electricity, security of tenure, running water and sanitation. The more than 7, 35 million people who have benefited from our new developments since the inception of democracy have had their lives improved significantly. To many of these beneficiaries, housing has brought security, pride and economic hope. In a recent study of housing beneficiaries a new home owner in Tsakane said, “I have a sense of pride here, living in this house has made a big difference.” Another new homeowner from Tekwane in Mpumalanga says “We are very happy and proud of our country here in South Africa for providing homes for us. We looked very poor before, now that we have these houses we are different people, we even boast about our keys, opening our doors proudly.” It is this pride that we hope the new homeowners can also have in their new homes.  This pride helps us care for this home and develop it in a way that ensures our children can one day be proud to inherit a home of honour.

I have no doubt that this community will continue to develop on what has been built and go a long way in addressing the plight of our people and help eradicate the common enemies of poverty, homelessness and landlessness.  

This year marks a decade of freedom for the majority of South Africans many of whom have been living in poverty for many years. Lack of basic services, shelter and infrastructure was a common factor in many of our communities. This has changed for many people and is a reason why we should start celebrating the fruit of our freedom by doing the following: 

• Looking after our homes and assisting with the development of our communities;
• Supporting our local government structures and participating in the activities and developmental programmes where we live, and
• Participating in letsema programmes and community workforces.

Lastly, let me seize this opportunity to wish you well in your new homes.  

I thank you for this opportunity