Evaluating social housing potential for low-income urban dwellers in Johannesburg

Housing accessibility remains the right of every household in South Africa as situated in South Africa constitution. However, there is a lot of critical pressure mounted on the provision of housing the low income earners in the inner city of Johannesburg. This study focused on the assessment of social housing programme as a realistic option for housing the low income earners in Johannesburg city. It also examine the level by which social housing provisions are responding to the low income earners in need of housing, examine how the poor in the urban city secure and sustain accommodation, examine the available housing facilities and propose standard to ameliorate the difficulties. Four social housing provisions were selected and these locations include Protea Glen Soweto, Dobsonville, Walkerville and Lufhereng city. Data collection was achieved with the use of personal observation, interview and structured questionnaire. Systematic sampling techniques were adopted in administering the questionnaire. 45 participants in each location giving a total of 180 respondents were carefully selected. The data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences 15 for windows) which features computation of frequency, grouping of data with presentation of result using figures and tables. The data from the survey revealed tremendous financial stress and surmounted problem of affordability crises on the houses rented. There is enormous wide gap between the cost of housing and the income of low-income households in the social housing provision. A considerable proportion of respondents in all the study locations allocate between 50 and 60 % of their wages completely to housing expenses. The house rentage on monthly bases ranges from R3000 - R5000 noticeable in three study locations such as Dobsonville, Walkerville and Lufhereng city. Lower percentage of respondents in Protea Glen Soweto spend between R2000 and R1000 on house rent. The result further revealed small housing space and scarcity of space especially for those in awaiting list. The potential intervention to address the present housing challenges as suggested include concessions and installment payment should be considered within these group of people, housing policy should ensure the targeted beneficiaries and flexible subsidies among others.