The Department of Human Settlements (DHS) has approved 101 “catalytic” public–private partnership (PPP) projects, valued at around R340-billion – more than half of which would be sourced from the private sector – that would mobilise and coordinate private-sector involvement in government housing initiatives.

Following a 2015 public call for proposals for megacatalytic human settlement projects, the DHS received some 160 expressions of interest outlining prospective megaprojects.

“To fast-track delivery and to accelerate change in apartheid spatial planning, I am happy to announce that, following a public request for submission of prospective megaprojects, we have completed a detailed analysis and shortlisting of projects submitted by the private sector and by various spheres of government to be rolled out in the coming three to five years,” Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Tuesday.

These integrated catalytic human settlement projects, incorporating rental housing, gap housing, ‘breaking new ground’ initiatives, social housing and serviced sites for employer-assisted housing, would “trigger” massive investments by the private sector.

“Our assessment is that our support, which is estimated at R90-billion over five years, will trigger more than R150-billion from the private sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be sustained and thousands more created,” she explained.

Unpacking the department’s Budget Vote at a pre-speech media briefing, she explained that 94 of the 101 approved projects were ready for implementation as soon as the paperwork was concluded.

Sisulu said the names of the projects, the developers and all other details would be announced next week.

“These are projects that are guided by our ‘breaking new ground’ policy, which we hope will change the face of our cities while providing ‘breaking new ground’ houses, gap housing, rental and social housing and serviced sites for the poor and middle-class close to places of economic activities,” she concluded.