The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has urged the private sector to continue partnering with the government to increase affordable housing stock in the major metropolitan and secondary cities to prevent a repeat of recent disasters.

Minister Kubayi made this call on Monday, 2 October 2023, as South Africa joins the global community in celebrating World Habitat Day, which is held annually at the beginning of October. This year's theme is: “Resilient Urban Economies. Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery.”

Metropolitan and Intermediary cities have, according to recent figures, experienced rapid urbanisation than major metropolitan cities and therefore putting pressure on infrastructure and the provision of sustainable human settlements.

South Africa is committed to the upgrading of informal settlements, which was one of the resolutions adopted at the 2023 UN-Habitat Assembly held in June, to “Accelerating the Transformation of Informal Settlements and Slums by 2023”. Sustainable human settlements affect every aspect of people’s lives and communities’ development. Creating and managing better places to live, not only addresses economic opportunities, poverty and inequality but also fosters inclusion through provision of dignity, access to basic services and transport and creating improved living environments that foster food security, education, health, gender equality, resilience, and the protection of vulnerable groups.

The UN-Habitat Assembly adopted numerous critical resolutions to change the trajectory for the achievement of sustainable human settlements and adequate housing, in the context of rapid urbanisation and climate change. One of the resolutions identifies key actions to be undertaken globally to accelerate the transformation of informal settlements, as a vital entry point and catalyst for sustainable development by addressing the needs of the most vulnerable.

“During this financial year 2023/2024, over R4 billion has been allocated towards the upgrading of informal settlements. Additionally, over R7 billion Urban Settlements Development Grant (USGD) has been allocated to Metropolitan Municipalities to increase housing stock and deliver basic services of the cities’ residents”, said Minister Kubayi.

About the recent fire at Cemetery View in Pretoria East, Tshwane that affected over 2000 households, Minister Kubayi said the location of these informal settlements is an indication that people want to live closer to places of work. She, however, underlined that government initiatives working with the private sector are meant for qualifying beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, during the month of October, Minister Kubayi will launch a Title Deeds Friday Campaign. The campaign, which was part of outcomes of a recent meeting between the Minister and MECs responsible for Human Settlements in provinces, is aimed at mobilizing beneficiaries of fully subsidized houses to collect their title deeds at municipality offices. It will also see MECs, and councilors setting aside part of their Fridays to dispatching and encouraging beneficiaries to collect their title deeds.

“We must never be in a position where we unnecessarily keep people’s title deeds in our buildings. Our aim is to have cleared over 30, 000 title deeds currently at our disposal by February 2024”, said Minister Kubayi.

The Title Deeds Friday Campaign is expected to be launched with communities of MAWIGA (Mabopane, Winterveld and Ga-Rankuwa), north of Tshwane in Gauteng.

Enquiries: Contact Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, Spokesperson to Minister Kubayi on 064 754 8426 or Nozipho Zulu, Head of Communications on 078 457 9376. Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements

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