An analysis and evaluation of eThekwini Municipality's Home-Ownership Programme (sale of state-financed flats)
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Date
2010
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Abstract
The Housing Department of the eThekwini Municipality implemented a home-ownership
programme in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The programme aimed at selling state-financed
flats to tenants of the Municipality. The sale of these flats was in terms of the Sectional Title
development scheme. The research study undertaken was to analyze and evaluate the
implementation of this programme.
In conducting the research study, a global perspective on the delivery of public housing was
obtained. There are challenges globally; there is inadequate delivery of housing by
governments both in developing and developed countries. Whilst there are new strategies being
formulated by governments, for e.g. housing associations and social housing; there is lack of
support by government to sustain these housing programmes.
The research study was undertaken within a systems approach. The use of this approach
enabled a holistic enquiry process into the study. Through the systems approach the researcher
was able to look at not only the components in the system, but also the interaction and the
connectedness between components. The Critical Systems Thinking as a meta-methodology
allowed the use of more than one methodology for the research study, i.e. Critical Systems
Heuristics and Quantitative Study. The Critical Systems Heuristics methodology was used to
analyze and evaluate a policy decision made by Government to sell State-Financed flats to
tenants. This research study focused on the officials of the eThekwini Municipality. The second
research study was Quantitative and targeted trustees within bodies corporate.
The analysis of the data that was collated highlighted the following:
While the decision for the sale of flats to tenants in order to promote home ownership
emerged as a good decision, there is never the less a need to include in the programme an
extensive post sales programme that includes training, education and a support network for
bodies corporate
The communication between tenants and the Housing Department was extensive until the
transfer of the flats to the tenants and thereafter communication was very limited
One of the main challenge faced in this programme is the financial management of bodies
corporate
There appears to be challenges of promoting and maintaining social cohesion.
Whilst the programme to promote home-ownership has been well-received by beneficiaries, the
progamme lacked a supportive post-sales programme and hence viewed as incomplete. Two
broad recommendations were:
Ongoing programme with bodies corporate: There needs to be training and education
programmes available for the post sales period. The programmes should be designed to
benefit both newly appointed trustees and exiting ones
Supportive Network: The Housing Department needs to initially provide funding and
facilitate a process to for the creation and sustainability of network forums.
Description
Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.
Keywords
Housing--KwaZulu-Natal--eThekwini Municipality., Home ownership--KwaZulu-Natal--eThekwini Municipality., Theses--Leadership and management.