Human Settlements

Human settlements is a policy and development sector focused on the provision of adequate housing, land tenure, and associated infrastructure and services to communities. The sector encompasses the planning, construction, and upgrading of residential areas, informal settlement upgrading, social housing programmes, and the delivery of basic services such as water, sanitation, and electricity to households. In South Africa, human settlements is a constitutional mandate shared between national, provincial, and local government, with the national Department of Human Settlements setting policy frameworks and provincial departments responsible for implementation. The sector addresses the legacy of apartheid spatial planning, which created segregated townships and informal settlements lacking basic infrastructure. Key programmes include the provision of subsidised housing through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and Breaking New Ground policy, informal settlement upgrading, and the development of integrated human settlements that promote social cohesion and economic opportunity. Human settlements delivery is closely linked to job creation through construction activities and the development of local supply chains. The sector faces challenges including backlogs in housing delivery, rapid urbanisation, land availability, and the need for sustainable, well-located developments that provide access to employment and amenities. Effective human settlements development is recognised as essential to achieving broader socioeconomic goals, including poverty reduction and spatial transformation. The African Union's Agenda 2063 framework includes human settlements and urbanisation as key development priorities across the continent.