Challenges of Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP) houses in South Africa

Beneficiaries of the Reconstruction and Development Program houses (RDP) are facing challenges related to RDP houses, hence, stakeholders and community individuals are criticizing the program of RDP. The study investigated the challenges facing RDP housing in Gauteng. A quantitative approach was adopted. Structured questionnaires were designed and distributed to department of housing and to RDP home owners. 60 Questionnaires were distributed and 50 came back complete and eligible to use. Random sampling method was used to select the respondents. The findings revealed that the building sizes are too small; poor ventilation system inside the building; improvements out of the formal system resulting from small size; affordability problem affecting middle income earners; absence of sufficient land for huge scale housing ventures; misuse of houses by the housing recipients by leasing them out; bigger scale of informal landlords who creates informal housing stock; corruption and or dishonesty on land transaction; poor sanitation maintenance in the building; a lot of backyard dwellers and shacks around the building were some of the challenges obtained from the study.