History

The formulation of South Africa’s Housing Policy commenced prior to the democratic elections, with the formation of the National Housing Forum. This forum was a multi-party non-governmental negotiating body comprising 19 members from business, the community, government, development organisations and political parties outside the government at the time. At these negotiations the foundation for the new government's Housing policy were developed and agreed to. This culminated in the achievement of the broad housing sector convention also referred to as the Housing Accord that concluded into the White Paper on Housing 1994  The Government of National Unity in 1994 made use of these negotiations and investigations when it formulated South Africa’s National Housing Policy. 

In October 1994 a National Housing Accord was signed by a range of stakeholders representing the homeless, government, communities and civil society, the financial sector, emerging contractors, the established construction industry, building material suppliers, employers, developers and the international community. This accord set down the beginning of the common vision that forms the essence of South Africa’s National Housing Policy. Most importantly, it comprised an agreement that all of these stakeholders would work together to achieve the vision encapsulated in the Accord. 

The National Housing Accord was soon followed by the Housing White Paper which was promulgated in December 1994. The White Paper sets out the framework for the National Housing Policy. All policy, programmes and guidelines which followed, fell within the framework set out in the White Paper.

The promulgation of the Housing Act, 1997 [Act No. 107 of 1997] [the Housing Act] legislated and extended the provisions set out in the Housing White Paper and gave legal foundation to the implementation of government's Housing Programme. The Housing Act aligned the National Housing Policy with the Constitution of South Africa and clarified the roles and responsibilities of the three spheres of government: national, provincial and municipal. In addition the Housing Act lays down administrative procedures for the development of the National Housing Policy.

 
Vision
A nation housed in sustainable human settlements with access to socio-economic infrastructure 
 
Mission
To establish and facilitate a sustainable process that provides equitable access to adequate housing or all within the context of affordability of housing and services and access to social amenities and economic opportunities.
 
Pretoria Office Cape Town Office
Postal Address Private Bag X654
PRETORIA
0001		 Postal Address Private Bag X9029
CAPE TOWN
8000
Physical Address Govan Mbeki House
240 Walker Street
Sunnyside
PRETORIA		 Physical Address 2nd Floor Room 217
120 Plein Street
CAPE TOWN
Tel. No +27 12 421-1309 Tel. No +27 21 466-7602
Fax No +27 12 341-8513 Fax No +27 21 465-3610

Ministerial Staff
Media Liaison Officer Chief Of Staff
Contact:  Mr. M. Mathebula
Title: Media Liaison Officer
Tel. No: +27 12 421-1311
Cape Town +27 21 466-7613
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Email:  mandla@housing.gov.za
   
Contact:       Ms P. Thring
Title: Chief of Staff
Tel. No: +27 12 421-1642
Cape Town: +27 21 466-7604
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Email: petal@housing.gov.za
Private Secretary to the Minister Administrative Assistant
Contact:       Ms R. Makwane
Title: Private Secretary
Tel. No: +27 21 466-7603
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Cell No: +27 83 448-8063
Email: rosemary@housing.gov.za
Contact: Ms. D. Mooketsi
Title: Administrative Assistant
Tel. No: +27 12 421-1523
Cape Town: +27 21 466-7607
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Email: dinah@housing.gov.za

Senior Registry Clerk

 Administrative Secretary
Contact: Mr. J. Skhosana
Title: Senior Registry Clerk
Tel. No: +27 12 421-1437
Cape Town +27 21 466-7608
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Email: january@housing.gov.za
Contact: Mr. M Kraba
Title: Admin.Secretary
Tel. No.: +27 12 421-1642
Cape Town +27 21 466-7612
Fax No: +27 12 341-8513
Email: milile@housing.gov.za
 
Pretoria Office Cape Town Office
Postal Address Private Bag X644
PRETORIA
0001		 Postal Address Private Bag X9057
CAPE TOWN
8000
Physical Address Govan Mbeki House
240 Walker Street
Sunnyside
PRETORIA		 Physical Address 2nd Floor Room 217
120 Plein Street
CAPE TOWN
Tel. No +27 12 421-1311 Tel. No +27 21 465-7295/6/7
Fax No +27 12 341-8513 Fax No +27 21 465-3610
Private Secretary  
Contact:  Ms Thembi Dube
Title: Private Secretary
Tel. No: +27 12 421-1486
Fax No: +27 12 341-2998
Email:  thembi@housing.gov.za
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Background
With regard to housing development government, has established the following national institutions to facilitate the specific housing and housing-related needs of the market, in addition to the role provincial governments and municipalities play 

Approximately 70% of households in SA are currently excluded from access to housing credit through the formal banking sector. Through the housing subsidy scheme, the lower 40% of households, for which housing credit is not a viable option, are provided with a housing unit. The upper income bracket of the subsidy scheme, require end user finance to access a housing product. Thus 30% of the SA population who are under- or un-served as a result of:

 
  • The conventional banking sector being unable to service them due to structural incompatibilities
  • Insufficient capacity in the emerging, increasingly successful but inadequately funded specialised lending sector
  • Insufficient focus by Government and the private sector on alternative tenure forms.

Following intensive local and international research, the National Department of Housing concluded that 4 mutually comprehensive and supportive approaches should be adopted in order to assist the under- and un-served portion of the population to access housing. These are: