The difficulty people have with accessing finance to buy their own homes will be one of the issues discussed at the second National Housing Summit on November 19 and 20.

Over 400 stakeholders in the housing sector are expected to attend the summit at Gallagher Estate, Midrand.

"Access to finance still remains a great barrier to people looking for homes, collectively we need to find workable solutions to such challenges," said Minister of Housing Brigitte Mabandla in a statement.

"This will be the second such gathering since the advent of democratic governance in South Africa. The first was held in Botshabelo in 1994 led by the late Minister Joe Slovo," the statement added.

"From the Botshabelo Summit emanated the housing policy that has delivered over 1,5-million houses and gave homes to over six million people, despite the lack of proper administrative history and tradition".

The summit follows a series of provincial and sector workshops between the department of housing and various stakeholders including women in housing, art and culture activists, architects and designers.

"The outcome of these consultative workshops serve as background information for the national Housing Summit," the department said.

Those attending the summit would include banking industry leaders, diplomats, ministers of housing from abroad, United Nations representatives and delegates from various interest groups.

Themes for discussion would include urban regeneration and social housing; quality housing delivery systems; housing finance; capacity building for effective delivery; and participation and partnerships. – Sapa.