Government-funded programmes and services for vulnerable - Unicef

Department of Human Settlement
Table 10.1 Programme/service map: Department of Human Settlement
Programme/
services
Description of the
programme/actual
service provided
Targeted beneficiaries/
qualifying criteria/how to
obtain the service
Delivery mechanism/
service providers
Government
housing
subsidy
(Individual
subsidy)
A government
housing subsidy is
a grant awarded by
the Department to
beneficiaries who
qualify in accordance
with the governing
means test.
The grant is not
paid in cash to the
beneficiaries. Instead, it
is paid to the seller of
the house or paid to a
developer constructing
new houses. In the
latter case, the house
must comply with
minimum technical and
environmental norms
and standards. The
house is transferred
into the name of the
beneficiary once it is
built.
Amount of the subsidy
The amount paid for
individual subsidies
for a 40 square metre
house in 2008/09 was: i
earn between R0–
R1 500 per month =
R43 506
earn between
R1 501–R3 500 =
R41 027
Targeted beneficiaries
Families living in
poverty
The housing subsidy
programme is not
targeted at children
specifically. The
programme is targeted
at the household, on
the assumption that
all individuals in the
household living in
poverty will benefit.
Administrative data
suggest that women
and children constitute
a substantial proportion
of beneficiaries of
the housing subsidy
scheme, despite the fact
that there is no clear
mechanism to prioritise
them (Hall 2005).
Qualifying criteria
The applicant must:
permanently with
another person; or
but heading up
a household with
children for whom
the applicant
is financially
responsible; and
or have acquired
majority status through
marriage and in all
other respects have
acquired contractual
capacity; and
Applicants complete
and submit an
application form to
the relevant provincial
housing department
or municipality for
all services and
programmes detailed
in this table.
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