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We wish to inform the people of KwaZulu-Natal that we have convened a two-day Social Housing Policy Workshop aimed at securing a warm roof over your head and your family.

Importantly, the workshop will address day-to-day socio-economic challenges faced by citizens - such as:-

· People who earn a salary but it is not enough to cover a bond/home loan;

· People who want to live in a beautiful homely environment, that is safe and secure for the children and family – with access to education, recreational facilities and amenities.

The key objectives and outcomes of the workshop are the  following:-

1.  Strengthening of rental housing sector that ensures affordable rental housing opportunities for all;

2.  Social housing options for the marginalized to ensure quality lifestyles for their families;

3.  Social housing for households that do not qualify for a home loan/bond;

4.  Social housing for households that do not afford average market-related rentals offered by the private sector.

We remain determined to deal decisively with the legacies of an evil system of apartheid. We have always pointed out in various platforms that the Group Areas Act was designed to split the people of this country along racial lines.

Even after 27 years of our democracy, this flawed system of segregation has had serious implications for social and economic development

The townships and hostels were created not for human settlements but to accommodate Africans who were regarded as cheap labour.  These areas, including villages in the homelands, were severely neglected with millions of people remaining isolated from basic amenities.

Millions of people were deliberately denied access to economic opportunities - had no running water and electricity. They were prevented from accessing recreational facilities and social infrastructure such decent hospitals, libraries and academic institutions in areas where they lived.

Tomorrow we will therefore sharpen our strategies to ensure that we move with speed and high level of efficiency as we respond to these socio-economic challenges. We want to use the social housing programme to radically usher in a new rental housing landscape.

Stakeholders expected to attend are the following:-

1.  National Department of Human Settlements;

2.  Social Housing Regulatory Authority;

3.  National Housing Finance Corporation;

4.  Accredited Social Housing Institutions;

5.  Other Delivery Agents and Private Developers;

6.  KZN Rental Housing Tribunal and;

7.  Municipalities.

The media is invited to cover the workshop scheduled as follows:-

Date     :      24 – 25 March 2022

Time    :      08h30

Venue  :      Protea Hotel, Karridene – Old South Coast

Road – Illovo Beach Durban

Issued by the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, Jomo Sibiya