It’s been just over 100 days since the Minister of Human Settlements was sworn in. In these 100 days, the HDA has been pivotal in assisting the National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS) with developing critical principles and criteria to be used as frameworks for the processes that will form part of the delivery of 1.5-million housing opportunities by 2019.
The HDA has taken strides in developing an MSP and a programme for the Mining Towns Project and Catalytic Projects.
Master Spatial Plan
The HDA has been developing a Human Settlements Master Spatial Plan (the MSP) for the NDHS. The intention of this plan is to direct and focus government resources and private investment in human settlements to overcome the legacy of apartheid spatial planning.
This plan will also allow the sector to plan ahead for the provision of the necessary infrastructure and supporting amenities required for the creation of sustainable human settlements. This will pave the way for integrated communities being created through projects that connect people to work and economic opportunities.
The principles of the MSP have been accepted and agreed to by MinMec, and these principles form the basis of a draft spatial plan. The draft has been consulted broadly with provinces, municipalities and various sector role-players. The spatial plan has also formed the basis for the development of criteria for the assessment of human settlements developments, to ensure that they align and support the plan. The criteria are being testing in the assessment of the proposed catalytic projects. The draft plan was tabled at the October MinMec.
“It’s an ambitious project, but entirely necessary if we are to ensure sustainable human settlements in the future,” says HDA CEO Taffy Adler.
“It may sound like a highly technical project, but the spatial plan will have a direct impact on the quality of life of millions of South Africans, particularly future generations.
“The plan will take government one step closer to its vision of a non-racial society, in particular, and eliminate the very profound segregated legacy of apartheid,” says Adler.
Mining towns
Programme management and operational support arrangements have been agreed upon and are being put in place at national and provincial level for the human settlements component of the National Mining Towns Intervention. Eighty-two informal settlements are being assessed and categorised for upgrading as part of the National Upgrading Support Programme (NUSP) in the priority mining towns. Sixty-two human settlements projects are at various stages of development in the priority mining towns, and 20 of these are informal settlements upgrading projects.
Catalytic projects
Provinces and municipalities have submitted approximately 120 potential projects that are being considered and assessed for the catalytic projects programme. Assessment criteria have been developed for the assessment of these projects against the principles and requirements of the MSP to ensure the intended “impact” and “integration” outcomes from the projects.
The mobilisation of private sector involvement in this programme is also under way.
