The desire of modern democratic governments is to provide basic amenities for its citizenry and the present South African Government has indicated this in several of its documents including the document on Reconstruction and Development. The question of adequate shelter has been identified as one of the burning issues that require urgent and immediate attention. However, the question still remains: "Is the state the best organ of society to be directly involved in the actual provision of housing or is this function best left to the private sphere of society, above all, private society and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)?". This dissertation considers the methods and other related ways in which to assist the poorest of the poor in meeting their housing needs through the intervention of Non-Governmental Organisations. In attempting to do this, the study looks at a case study of an NGO that has been involvedin housing provision. The aim is to find out whether this sphere of housing activity is best suited for NGOs especially where the issues of the poorest of the poor are concerned. The thesis reviews various international as well as local cases pertaining to housing provision and contribution towards finding interventionist approaches to be adopted in order to realise the desires of the new democratic government in housing for all.

Thesis (M.Sc.U.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.