UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Government

Name of Ministry/Agency:

Country:	South Africa

Initiative Title:	Participatory Slum Upgrading

Internet links:	http://www.rabie.co.za/awards.asp?AwardID=3#top http://www.fiabci.com/page/en/178_569.htm http://www.fiabci.com/page/en/178_569.htm

Scope:	National: - South Africa

Status:

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Stakeholders/Partners:	RABCAV Property Consortium

Relevent issues:	- Improved Housing - Job Creation and Enterprise Promotion

Objectives/Challenges:

To improve the living conditions of the community while simultaneously providing investment and employment opportunities.

Lessons Learned:

Around 80% of the supplied labour and materials were from local sources, ensuring that the activities were beneficial for the community.

All contractors had to agree to employ local residents wherever possible, which supported community participation and local economic development.

Also, it was vigilantly observed that the prices of the installed infrastructure units were within the budgetary range of the community so as to guarantee an unproblematic replacement in the future.

The squatters received government subsidies to be able to buy their homes, which they could then subsequently extend and improve. This ensured fair and equal property rights.
Main Obstacles
The constitution of the Republic of South Africa gives the responsibility of housing to the local governments, which means that the planning and implementation of schemes must be enacted locally. Thus, the execution of slum upgrading schemes depends on the willingness and priority setting of the local authorities; some of which apparently consider other activities such as the development of the industrial sector as higher-ranking.
Scaling up slum upgrading cannot happen without a clear land policy. Unresolved land issues have hampered these processes to date.

Furthermore, communities benefiting from the projects should be informed about the implications of home ownership as a dire lack of knowledge in this field has been identified.

Sustainability and Transferability
This public-private development model can serve as a blueprint for future development programs throughout South Africa.
The Westlake Estate project was awarded the FIABCI (International Real Estate Federation) Rene Frank Habitat Award in 2004 which recognises the efforts of organizations that work to improve sustainably the lives of people living in slums around the world. The ultimate objective of the award is to encourage other cities and countries to use the winning projects as models when trying to resolve similar issues.

RABCAV has offered further advice to communities for planning and implementation of housing and infrastructure upgrading.

Policy Options:

Due to the growing population and urban migration, there is a critical housing shortage in and around Cape Town, South Africa, spawning growth of informal settlements. In one settlement in the Westlake district, approximately 3000 people occupy a 95 ha site beneath the M3 highway, living in corrugated iron and cardboard shacks without roads, running water or sewage facilities.
In a private-public partnership program, the RABCAV property consortium – with the implementation of its project “Westlake Estate” – has succeeded in improving the living conditions of this community whilst simultaneously providing investment and employment opportunities.

Summary:

The Westlake Estate project is the result of a partnership between the private sector developers Rabie Property Projects and Cavcor Property Group (which joined forces as RABCAV) and the South African Government. Its slum upgrading program included land title transfer, construction, funding, amenities and the establishment of a community association. Special emphasis was put on human resources development, in particular vocational training. Moreover, the social and physical infrastructure, in particular water supply, sewerage, and energy was developed.
In this way, a holistic development plan and a well-organized public-private sector partnership achieved the goal of upgrading the Westlake slum area.

Outcomes
From 1997 to 2002, the site was completely redeveloped in cooperation with local, provincial and national governmental bodies as well as the slum residents. Formal housing for the 700 squatter families as well as integrated community facilities like roads, churches, schools, offices, a clinic and business facilities were provided.
Residence provision went far beyond government’s minimum standards for social housing with features such as cavity walls and hot and cold running water.