By Nangamso Mabindla
22 April 2005

BUFFALO City plans to take the lead in implementing the new national Human Settlement Plan, creating environments that include amenities such as schools and clinics as well as houses.

"The new plan moves away from the current focus of providing commodities in the form of houses to towards a more holistic approach which addresses the multi-dimensional needs of sustainable human settlements," says Sithembiso Tyilo, Buffalo City's portfolio head for the Directorate of Development Planning.

It encourages the development of integrated settlements, where houses, schools, clinics and other community facilities are provided as part of a coordinated package.

The plan, which came into effect in April 2005, aims to eradicate informal settlements in places like Duncan Village.

"The plan adopts a phased in situ upgrading approach to informal settlements. These upgrading projects will be implemented by municipalities and will commence with pilot projects, one in each province."

Buffalo City has already done extensive work on the R250-million Duncan Village Redevelopment Initiative as part of the project.

The Human Settlement Plan, initiated by the national Department of Housing, will also ensure closer collaboration between the government, the private sector and the local communities. "It predicts a continuation and deepening of the partnerships between government and the private sector in the development of sustainable human settlements," Tyilo said.

However, it was also important that the supply of state-assisted housing continue in response to a very urgent need, Tyilo said. Municipalities, he added, had a big role to play in this. "In this regard, my directorate will initiate an integrated housing plan which will draw in the other directorates to support the process. This plan will be funded from the Restructuring Grant."

While finance from the business sector was imperative to the development of the primary and secondary housing market, the new human settlement plan (in terms of the Financial Sector Charter) takes into account the need to find ways to help people with home loans meet their commitments.