UCLG Position Paper v_2 (eng)
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A Compilation of Case Studies
planned, as is the case in the Netherlands. Common challenges are addressed at a national level, for instance how to set up a housing institution as a public limited company, which is called a municipal entity in South Africa. A major challenge arose in the lack of power that was felt at the local level. In 2009, SALGA developed a position paper to advocate for the transfer of more powers to local governments in housing policy.
versa is based on a Terms of Reference that had an input from both sides. Reviews of the previous visit take place at the beginning of the next visit. Reports are being written – and eventually these are being discussed. Reviews of the implementation are held once a year; a list of attention points to be addressed is drafted afterwards. The outcome is that a structured plan has been developed with support of staff from Vlissingen. Staff of the Govan Mbeki Municipality is now able to draft spatial plans independently. A housing institution was set up – again with support of Vlissingen. Hostel dwellings were converted and upgraded into family units. Over one hundred houses are being built in 2009 for high and low income groups. Through a process of cross subsidizing, the high income groups pay indirectly for the low rent of the low income groups.
The eight projects dealing with social housing development in South Africa all fit into the national strategy in South Africa in trying to overcome the huge housing back log. At the local level experiences started with the implementation of the national policy. The toolkit for social housing played an important role in addressing the issue and to guide local governments in policy making. LOGO South made it possible that over 50 experts from the Netherlands contributed to the capacity development of their colleagues in South African cities. Exchanges took place between the local governments involved in both countries to make the contribution to capacity development more effective. The national framework and legislation was considered incomplete by the local governments in South Africa and the national association SALGA.
Conclusion Not all projects have been comparably successful. Some failed even, notwithstanding the efforts that were made at both sides. External factors have had a negative influence. For example, staff turnover is a major challenge for local governments in South Africa and have meant that capacity development efforts have not been successful in some cases. In addition, political support for social housing developments is very much needed, but not always present.
A concrete example The position paper SALGA produced was based on the experiences of local governments on the ground. The following example of one of the eight local government projects provides insight into the results and lessons learned from the programme.
Out of this practical experience and the experiences of other local governments SALGA drafted its position paper, because the national framework and legislation was considered incomplete. SALGA’s contributions to the national strategy were made to give shape to the policy and change it. In this way the circle becomes closed again: starting from the national strategy, through the local government experience, and based on that back to a contribution to the necessary change of the national strategy. The local level interventions and technical assistance provided have been an important factor in the development of a relevant and appropriate national strategy, and the role of local government has become more prominent and will continue to be so in the future.
The local governments of Govan Mbeki Municipality in South Africa and the municipality of Vlissingen in the Netherlands have a twinning relation since 2000. An important part of the relationship is the LOGO South project ‘Increase of living environment and spatial planning’ that targets structured plans for different parts of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, reconverting hostel dwelling in upgraded family units and the establishment of a Social Housing Institution that delivers and maintains houses. Starting in 2005, –a year before the actual project started– in an open discussion on motives and objectives, a joint analysis of the local housing situation was realized. A clear strategy was discussed before talks on cooperation in the framework of the project started. The defined purpose and results were shared by both parties. Every step in the implementation has been taken together. Every visit of Vlissingen to Govan Mbeki Municipality or vice
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