An evaluation of the management issues affecting government housing agencies in the delivery of low-income housing in South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is 62 per cent urbanized, with an annual rate of change of 1.2 per cent, which is way ahead of the least-urbanized nations of the Southern African sub-region. The projected increase in urban populations will lead to an exponential increase in the demand for shelter and services. Already, South African urban areas are inundated with slums and an exponential urban growth of 1.2 per cent of the urban populations which could spell disaster, unless urgent and progressive action is initiated today. Against this backdrop, the demand for shelter and other associated services such as water and electricity will be the major issues that South Africa provincial and local governments will be faced with in the next 10 years or in the future. The present paper presents findings on the management issues affecting the national, provincial and local government housing agencies in the development of low-income housing in South Africa. The primary data used in the study was obtained through a Delphi Study where the views of housing experts were solicited on management issues affecting the national, provincial and local government housing agencies in the development of low-income housing in South Africa. The key findings indicated emanating from the Delphi study revealed that 29 issues were raised as the challenges currently faced by the national, provincial and local government housing departments in the delivery of low-income housing in South Africa. From the listed concerns, government capacities to facilitate development and corruption in provincial and local government were ranked as the highest constraints hindering the development of low-income housing in South Africa. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the subject where no consensus has been reached pertaining to the management issues affecting the national, provincial and local government housing agencies in the development of housing in South Africa.