Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane, has called for stronger collaboration between government, communities, the private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders to tackle the country’s urban challenges and accelerate the creation of adequate, inclusive, and sustainable human settlements.

Minister Simelane made the call as South Africa joins the international community in commemorating World Habitat Day and launches its Human Settlements Month and Urban October campaigns under the theme “Adequate Housing for All.”

The theme comes at a time when the global housing crisis continues to affect billions of people. An estimated 2.8 billion people worldwide experience various forms of housing inadequacy, while close to 1.1 billion people live in slums and informal settlements. This reality highlights the need for urgent, coordinated, and sustained action to ensure that adequate housing becomes accessible to all.

Minister Simelane said South Africa’s response to urbanisation must go beyond policy development and focus on implementation, partnerships, and meaningful participation by all sectors of society.

“Our experience over three decades of democracy has taught us that stakeholder consultation is critical to the formulation of effective public policy. However, going forward, stakeholders must be fully engaged beyond policymaking by creating spaces and opportunities for them to contribute to public investments and to actively implement the policies we have collectively agreed upon.”

The Minister’s call is aligned with South Africa’s commitments under the New Urban Agenda (NUA), a global framework adopted in 2016 to guide sustainable urban development over a 20-year period to 2036.

South Africa remains a strong partner of UN-Habitat, with the Ministry and Department of Human Settlements playing a leading role in advancing the country’s engagement on the global urban agenda.

As part of these efforts, Minister Simelane presented South Africa’s Second Country Report on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The report reflects extensive stakeholder consultations involving the three spheres of government and various sectors of society across the country.

South Africa’s commitment to the global urban agenda has also been strengthened through the establishment of the UN-Habitat Country Office and Country Programme in South Africa, under a joint framework between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and UN-Habitat.

The partnership will support national priorities, including spatial transformation, urban development, housing, integrated human settlements, climate resilience, urban finance and local government, while strengthening technical assistance and partnerships aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP), Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF), District Development Model (DDM), New Urban Agenda and the 2024–2029 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP).

As part of Human Settlements Month, the Ministry and Department of Human Settlements will lead a programme of engagements involving communities, cities, municipalities, civil society, organisations, the private sector, and other stakeholders.

“The transformation of our cities, towns and communities cannot be achieved by government alone. It requires partnerships, active citizenship, and a shared commitment to ensuring that our people live in safe, adequate, and sustainable human settlements,” said Minister Simelane.

She further called on all stakeholders to use Urban October as an opportunity to deepen dialogue on the future of South Africa’s urban areas and to contribute to practical solutions to the challenges associated with rapid urbanisation.

Through Human Settlements Month and Urban October, South Africa will join this global conversation while showcasing its programmes, projects and partnerships aimed at accelerating the delivery of sustainable human settlements.

Enquiries: Tsekiso Machike, Spokesperson to the Minister on 077 410 5050 Tsekiso.Machike@dhs.gov.za  

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements, Govan Mbeki House 240, Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria