An evaluation of access to adequate housing: A case study of eZamokuhle township, Mpumalanga; South Africa

Abstract

Everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. The government must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right. The main objective of the research is to examine beneficiaries’ perceptions about their built environment (housing and infrastructure) to determine their level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The main argument made is that lack of adequate housing not only jeopardizes development, but it also creates social and economic challenges. Therefore, lack of adequate housing is a hindrance to sustainable human settlements. The local municipality provides basic services such as refuse removal and water and sanitation. These services are inseparable from housing. There are however serious problems with basic services provided in eZamokuhle, such as poor sanitation and this has a negative impact on the provision of sustainable human settlement in eZamokuhle. The paper calls for the government to commit itself more in providing adequate housing for its citizens as this is the main element of sustainable human settlements.