The role of civil society organisations in the provision of adequate housing to citizens: the case of Abahlali baseMjondolo (ABM)

Abstract

Housing is an essential component of the social and personal life of every individual. Housing the nation is one of the greatest challenges facing the South African government. To address the housing challenge, the South African government introduced several policies such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) in 1994 and 10 years later, the Breaking New Ground (BNG) in 2004. Despite the adoption of these policies, the housing crisis in South Africa’s continues to worsen each year as Hartmann (2019) indicates the housing backlog in South Africa stands at 2.3. million houses and it is growing by approximately 178 000 houses a year. With this in mind, the study sought to understand the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the provision of adequate housing to citizens. It investigates this through the case study of Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) which is a CSO that was established in 2005 by shack dwellers in Kennedy Road in Durban, within the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study method was qualitative. The sample consisted of ten participants, and purposive sampling was used while selecting the five AbM members and snowballing sampling was utilised to sample shack dwellers and an interview schedule was applied. The study revealed that AbM is not a political organisation, but it is a social movement meant to address the issue of housing and land as well as restoring the dignity of a black person. The organization is committed to building a just society where people enjoy equality and access to opportunities. Findings also revealed that the organization seeks to improve the living conditions of shack dwellers through the provision of basic services and assisting them in the provision of adequate shelter. In the delivery of adequate housing to the citizens, the study findings indicate that AbM plays a role of empowerment, advocacy and promoting participation. Furthermore, AbM uses five (5) strategies in the delivery of housing to the citizens namely, engagement, issuing media statements, holding marches and protests, litigation and/or the use of the legislation as well as land occupation. The study also discovered that there are several challenges faced by AbM while attempting to play a role in the delivery of housing to the citizens. AbM members and shack dwellers face brutal and violent evictions at the hands of law enforcement officers. Furthermore, some AbM members have been killed while trying to assist the citizens in terms of housing. Despite the challenges, AbM has had success in the delivery of adequate housing, and they have been recognized by international institutions for their effort. The research also discovered that AbM has a good relationship with other CSOs. However, the relationship between AbM and local government is a concern and borders on animosity. Based on the study findings, this study concludes with a proposition of a number of recommendations for CSOs and the government on how to work together to deliver adequate housing to the citizens. There is a need for cooperation between all spheres of government and CSOs. Furthermore, the research recommends that the delivery of services and housing should be de-politicized.