Housing as a constitutional right
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has underscored the deep connection between adequate housing and the fulfilment of constitutional rights, as the country observes Human Rights Month amid preparations to mark three decades since the adoption of the Constitution.
Simelane, who shared her views with Public Sector Manager magazine, described the provision of housing not simply as an infrastructure exercise but as the realisation of a promise enshrined in the country's founding document. She highlighted how the Constitution dismantled barriers that once prevented women and other marginalised groups from owning property.
"Human rights and 30 years of the Constitution is an important celebration that needs to be held. Gone are the days when women, specialised categories of society, could not own property. It took a lot of policy and direction just to make sure we are equal citizens in the eyes of the law."
The Minister maintained that dignity extends well beyond placing a roof over someone's head. A genuine human settlement, she argued, must encompass schools, recreational facilities, skills development centres and other social amenities that communities require to thrive. She noted that electrification across settlements currently stands at 97%, while water and reticulation connectivity has reached 72%, alongside the rollout of roads and bulk infrastructure.
Despite acknowledging ongoing backlogs and service delivery pressures, Simelane pointed to urbanisation as a growing challenge demanding fresh approaches. Priorities under the Seventh Administration include bolstering smaller towns and secondary cities so that residents are not compelled to migrate to major urban centres in search of opportunity.
Innovation and building technology at the forefront
Central to the department's forward-looking strategy is the embrace of new construction methods. Simelane referenced the Innovative Building Technologies Summit, convened by the department in early February, as a national platform for advancing sustainable and scalable building solutions. The summit focused on modular construction systems, alternative locally produced materials, climate-resilient designs, energy-efficient solutions and smart building methods aimed at reducing both time and cost.
"Housing is not just about structures. It is about dignity, equality and human rights made real. That is what 30 years of our Constitution calls on us to protect – and to deepen – for generations to come."
Simelane expressed particular concern about the persistence of mud houses across the country, describing them as highly vulnerable to extreme weather events including heavy rainfall and flooding. Through innovative building technologies, the department aims to deliver durable, affordable alternatives at speed while simultaneously supporting local manufacturing, skills development and job creation.
The Minister also stressed the importance of spatial transformation, saying that innovative construction methods supporting higher-density, well-located housing developments would help reverse apartheid-era spatial patterns and foster socially integrated communities. She cited Section 26 of the Constitution as the guiding principle behind the department's mandate to ensure access to adequate housing through reasonable measures and available resources.
"We do not take that from a negative point of view. The SAHRC is able to assess your systems, how you can grow and how you can develop in achieving that every right is guaranteed for every South African. We must celebrate the Constitution as a victory."
Simelane further acknowledged the role of oversight bodies such as the South African Human Rights Commission, describing them not as opponents of government but as enablers of improved governance that hold the state accountable to its constitutional commitments. She said innovation must play a decisive part in accelerating delivery and enhancing the quality of household life for all citizens, framing the department's 2025 Budget Vote theme — leveraging technologies for resilient, sustainable human settlements — as evidence of this commitment.
South Africa's persistent housing backlog, with millions still awaiting adequate shelter, makes the push toward innovative building technologies a critical development for communities living in vulnerable structures such as mud houses prone to flooding. If modular construction and locally sourced materials deliver on their promise of faster, cheaper builds, the ripple effects could extend to job creation and local manufacturing growth. Whether these approaches can be scaled quickly enough to match rapid urbanisation remains the defining challenge ahead.
