EDITORIAL: SA needs a sound housing policy
In 1994, SA had about 300 informal settlements. Now, there are in excess of 2,700
Now that the ANC has passed a resolution at its conference and in Parliament that the expropriation of land without compensation is a desirable mechanism to use in land reform, should we expect mayhem and anarchy as anyone who wants grabs a piece of land? That is what some political actors — on the right and the left — want us to believe. The right wants us to beat the drum of the swart gevaar while the left wants to claim that it is delivering on radical economic transformation by being seen at the forefront of land occupations. Because land reform — especially through expropriation without compensation — is a process that can go awry and cause a great deal of damage to the economy, it is important to situate the latest wave of land occupations in the context of the past 25 years of urban development and settlement. It does appear likely that the ANC’s resolution has provided a new impetus for urban land grabs. The fact is, though, that land occupations have been a feature of South...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.