BETRAYAL OF A POST-COLONIAL IDEAL: THE EFFECT OF CORRUPTION ON PROVISION OF LOW-INCOME HOUSES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

Lack of proper allocation of houses by the National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS) in all spheres of government has created a huge backlog on the provision of houses, despite the proclamation of Section 26 of the Constitution of Republic of South Africa (1996), Housing Act (No. 107 of 1997) and National Norms and Standards (1997). The living standard of the people who should be receiving these houses is detrimentally affected by this situation. The inception of the Special Investigations Directorate (SID) in the NDHS saw the necessity to investigate cases of this nature. The objectives of this study were to access appropriate management, capacity, challenges and technical support for the allocation of low-income houses, focusing on 20 years of democracy timeline (1994-2014), as well as, evaluating the implementation of support programmes that prevent corruption in the human settlements sector as agreed with sector partners (provinces and municipalities) in line with the national sector-wide Anti-Corruption Strategy by paying attention to State response to apartheid regime to democratic programmes. A qualitative research approach was adopted, coupled with the attendance of five (05) – to ten (10) NDHS SID meetings and workshops, ten (10) months participant observation schedule and three (03) interviews (i.e. Two -02- Key Informant Interviews – KIIs and one -01- telephonic interview) with the Assistant Directors of SID in the NDHS in Pretoria. The findings of this study reveal that 1) corruption with the allocation of low-income houses is still rife across South Africa, 2) fixing the current application and allocation processes can play a pivotal role in this regard and 3) the elite individuals in government should consolidate ideas in response to this scourge. It can be concluded that perceptions on the effects of corruption involving constructing of low-income houses in South African housing are widespread, coupled by complexity, exploitation, fraud and unpredictability. Owing to this, public trust to the current government remains dented. For recommendations; the NDHS should create improvement interventions through a process involving the implementation of the recommendations meted out by the NDHS SID investigators, evaluate the application and allocation processes by all relevant stakeholders within the public sector to enhance social and economic development; and address poverty by refusing to participate in illegal activities. 

Keywords

• Corruption,Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Projects (FLISP),Investigations,Low-income housing,NDHS,Provision,Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) housing,South Africa,SID

References

1. Darabi, A. (2018). Slums in South Africa are beating the housing crisis by building extra storeys - Faced with overcrowding, architects are upgrading shacks in Cape Town into durable homes. Available from: https://apolitical.co/solution_article/slums-in-south-africa-arebeating-the-housing-crisis-by-building-extra-storeys/. Accessed: 2018/08/21.
2. Department of Housing. (2008). Media statement, 22 April. http://www.NDHS.gov.za/content/media-statements/media-statement22-april-2008. Accessed: 11/03/2015.
3. Farooq, M.B. (2015). Qualitative telephone interviews: Strategies for success. Submitted to the 18th Annual Waikato Management School Student Research Conference. https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/9376/ Using%20the%20telephone%20in%20qualitative%20interviews.pdf? sequence=1. Accessed: 2018/08/22.
4. Key Informant Interviews. (2014). Interview. Pretoria (Sunnyside). (Notes in possession of researchers).
5. Mabandla, B. (2003). Minister of Housing, on tabling her Department’s Budget Vote, 19 May, Cape Town.
6. Mandela, N. (1994). The Reconstruction and Development Programme Preface. http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=235. Accessed: 2015/03/11.
7. Mthembi-Mahanyele, S. (2000). Media briefing by the Minister of Housing in office, 10 February, Cape Town.
8. National Housing Finance Corporation. (2018). How Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme works. https://www.nhfc.co.za/Products-and-Services/how-flisp-works.html. Accessed: 2018/09/06.

9. National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency. (2014). NURCHA construction finance and programme management / Annual Report. Gauteng: NURCHA.
10. Psam, E.M. (2016). Housing backlog: Protests and the demand for Housing in South Africa. http://psam.org.za/wpcontent/uploads/2016/11/Housing-backlog.pdf. Accessed: 2018/08/22
11. Ramovha, T & Thwala, W.D. (2014). Building capacity to upscale housing delivery: a case study of the National intervention in the Eastern Cape Provincial department of housing. Gauteng: University of Johannesburg.
12. September, C. (2014). Statement by the Minister of Human Settlements, on the occasion of the launch of the One Learner One Estate Agency Programme, 24 April. Rosebank: Park Hyatt Hotel.
13. Sexwale, T. (2013). Human Settlements Minister, on tabling his Department’s Budget Vote, National Assembly, 23 May. Cape Town.
14. Singeni, D. (2013). Housing qualifications criteria - Towards a common understanding of South African Human Settlements. October 22-23, South African Local Government Association, Department of Human Settlements, Councillor induction programme on Human Settlements: Bethlehem.
15. Sisulu, L. (2004). Minister of Housing in office, on tabling her Department’s Budget Vote, National Assembly, 10 June, Cape Town.
16. Slovo, J. (1994). Minister of Housing in office, at the opening ceremony of the Community bank, 23 July, Benoni.
17. Smeddle-Thompson, L. (2012). Implementing Sustainable Human Settlements. Masters Dissertation. Western Cape: Stellenbosch University.
18. Statistics South Africa. (2018a). Household Service Delivery Statistics. http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=739&id=2=1 Accessed: 2018/08/21.
19. Statistics South Africa. (2018b). Migrants flock to Gauteng. http://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=11331. Accessed: 2018/08/21.
20. Statistics South Africa. (2018c). The latest household statistics and more. http://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=739&id=2=1. Accessed: 2018/08/21.
21. South Africa. (2015). Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Projects. http://www.NDHS.gov.za/content/finance-linked-individual-subsidyprojects. Accessed: 11/03/2015.
22. South Africa. (2014). National Department of Human Settlements investigations methodology and complaints handling procedure. Pretoria: National Department of Human Settlements.
23. South Africa. 2013/2014. Department of Human Settlements, Annual Report. Vote 31, Annual Report for the year ended 31 March. Pretoria.
24. South Africa. 2012/2013. Department of Human Settlements, Annual Report. Vote 31, Annual Report for the year ended 31 March. Pretoria.
25. South African business – the guide to business and investment in the Republic of South Africa. (2012/13). Achieving goal through collaboration. Interview with Thabane Zulu. Global Africa Network (Pty) Ltd.
26. Telephone interview (Mulaudzi, R). (2015). Interview. Pretoria (Brooklyn). (Notes in possession of researchers).
27. Trochim, W M K. (2006). Qualitative Methods. Web Center for Social Research methods. http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/qualmeth.php. Accessed: 11/03/2015.
28. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) [Online]. (2015). UCLA Centre for Health Policy Research. http://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/programs/healthdata/trainings/documents/tw_cba23.pdf. Accessed: 11/03/2015.
29. Walker, R. (2001). Getting and analysing qualitative data. http://www.col.org/prest. Accessed: 24/02/2015.
30. World meters. (2018). South Africa population. http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/south-africapopulation/. Accessed: 2018/08/21.