SA AMONG THE SIX AFRICAN STATES TO ADDRESS THE UN ON HOUSING

Issued by: Ministry of Housing

4 June 2001

Housing Minister, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele is among the six African leaders who will address the Special Conference of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements in New York, USA on Wednesday the 6th June 2001.

The six countries, that include Egypt, Senegal, Tanzania, Nigeria and Morocco, are among the 16 countries that have been selected by the UN to address the Conference on good practices of the Habitat Agenda, which is the special programme of the UN aimed at creating sustainable development of human settlements. The Habitat Agenda is a global call to action for better shelter provision and it offers a positive vision of sustainable human settlements with clearly defined goals, principles and commitments aimed at providing people with adequate shelter, a healthy and safe environment, basic services and productive and freely chosen employment.

South Africa is regarded as one of the world's top achievers in the provision of adequate housing after the delivery of 1,129 million houses to over 5 million people since the inception of the democratic government in 1994.

Mthembi-Mahanyele's presentation will focus on:

• human rights as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa and the right to adequate shelter as a constitutional right in this country.
• The Housing programme and delivery since the inception of a democratic government in South Africa and how the constitution of this country guides these, and
• The People's Housing Process as a sustainable housing delivery process unique to South Africa

Mthembi-Mahanyele will also table the South African country report on the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and the general progress that the country has made since the Istanbul+5 summit held in Turkey in 1996. The report has already been adopted by Cabinet.

Among the highlights of the report are:

• New housing and development policies in South Africa;
  
• The housing delivery process since 1994, and
  
• South Africa's role in advancing the Habitat Agenda in the whole of Africa

Contact: Mandla Mathebula
Tel: 012-421-1501
Cell: 083-304-1536