The challenges facing local government in the delivery of housing: a case of Thulamela Local Municipality

Abstract

Aims of the study - The aim of this study was to investigate the challenges confronting local government in the provision of social housing for its citizens with specific focus to a local municipality.

Findings of the study - The following are the findings for this study: lack of capacity building workshops, lack of inclusive structures covering an array of stakeholders, lack of decentralized funding system for housing, lack of capacity building programmes and financial support for contractors, prevalent corruption between officials of the department of local government and housing, and contractors; and lack of proper formal institutional arrangement to involve community members in the allocation of housing.

Research Methodology and procedures - This research used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The two approaches had significant influence on the selection of sampling, data collection tool, and data analysis method.

Recommendations - This study identified some challenges existent in the entire social housing process, and had made the following recommendations:

✓ A need for broad and inclusive workshop to enhance capacity of participants in the housing process to play a meaningful role in the housing process as well as broadening participatory structures to be as inclusive as possible, ✓ Ensuring that structures in place are realigned to involve members of the community in the process of allocating houses to the needy are representative and inclusive ✓ Establishing a decentralized housing funding process to capacitate local municipalities to implement housing, in order to avoid this centralized process from derailing progress in the housing fraternity, develop and implement capacity building programmes to curb incapacity on contractors ✓ Putting in place the necessary financial support system for contractors, to supplement contractors efforts to raise capital for project implementation ✓ Putting mechanisms in place to curb corruption between officials of the department of Local Government and Housing, and contractors ✓ Putting mechanisms in place to provide for formal inclusion of community members to participate in the housing allocation process

Conclusion - This study is not conclusive in nature, and thus marks a contribution in knowledge management and preservation. While this study makes recommendations drawn from the findings, it is required that further in-depth studies be done on areas identified in the findings to help in giving impetus to a holistic approach aimed at improving and capacitating government's capability to deliver social housing.