As South Africa marks Human Rights Month and approaches three decades since the adoption of its Constitution, the link between human rights and human settlements has never been more pronounced.
Few portfolios illustrate the lived reality of constitutional rights as directly as housing – where dignity, equality and access to opportunity intersect in brick, mortar and place.
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane believes this milestone demands reflection, celebration and renewed commitment. Speaking to Public Sector Manager magazine, she frames housing not merely as infrastructure delivery, but as a constitutional promise realised over time.
“Human rights and 30 years of the Constitution is an important celebration that needs to be held,” Simelane says. “I am going to look at it from a human settlements and property ownership perspective.
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.”
Right to own property
For Simelane, the right to own property is inseparable from the broader project of equality. The Constitution, she argues, did more than remove legal barriers – it fundamentally altered who could claim space, security and belonging.
“…it is to allow you to be able to exercise your right – and your right to be guaranteed by the Constitution – that you deserve dignity,” she explains. “Dignity is part of what could be realised by a government in providing you with a house.”
Yet the Minister is careful to stress that dignity does not end with a roof over one’s head. The democratic vision of human settlements is far more expansive.
“Not only providing you with a house, but a human settlement, where there are amenities like schools, amenities that bring conveniences like complexes, recreation centres like skills training and development centres that our communities so deserve,” she says.
Progress made
This integrated vision is reflected in how the department defines a human settlement. “When we categorise a human settlement, we say it must be provided with electricity – of which our country is doing well. There are challenges, but in our roll out we are at 97% provision,” Simelane notes. “With water and reticulation, we are at 72% in the connectivity of bulk, including roads in human settlements and other social amenities.”
While acknowledging persistent backlogs and service delivery pressures, she believes the constitutional trajectory is clear. “We have ticked what is key,” she says, “but when we talk to issues of urbanisation – which is what we are now dealing with – rapid growth, rapid migration forces us to follow what we call the priorities of the Seventh Administration.”
Those priorities include strengthening smaller towns and secondary cities. “Ensuring that we now even go into urbanisation of the small areas so that, conveniently, people are able to stay where they are,” Simelane explains.
“To all South Africans, we have made a mark in growth – at a constitutional to a developmental point of view. That deserves to be celebrated.”
The gains
Central to this celebration is the country’s constitutional democracy and its oversight institutions. Simelane sees bodies such as the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) not as adversaries of the State but as enablers of better governance.
“We have got a democracy in the form of the SAHRC, and that guarantees every South African that if you feel that your right is being violated in one way or the other, or the promises of the Constitution are not adhered to, you could be able to lay a right that you have in the Constitution for it to be looked into,” she says.
“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.”
Embracing technology
Looking ahead, the Minister situates the department’s current work firmly within this constitutional mandate. “In 2025, we presented our Budget Vote Speech under the theme: Leveraging technologies for resilient, sustainable human settlements,” she says. “We did this with full understanding that technologies can assist us in achieving our targets as contained in the 2024 – 2029 Medium Term Development Plan.”
She points to Section 26 of the Constitution as a guiding principle. “The Constitution enjoins us to take reasonable legislative and other measures within available resources to ensure everyone has access to adequate housing,” Simelane explains. “With this directive, not only to provide houses, but to deliver sustainable human settlements that are affordable, resilient and dignified.”
A key intervention in this regard is the Innovative Building Technologies (IBTs) Summit, hosted by the department in early February. “This Summit is a national platform dedicated to advancing and showcasing innovative, sustainable and scalable construction solutions,” she says.
“It supports the delivery of dignified housing, the eradication of informal settlements and mud houses, and strengthens our capacity to respond to housing emergencies stemming from disasters.”
“These challenges are further compounded by climate change, which has increased the frequency and severity of floods and storms.”
Rapid urbanisation adds another layer of complexity. “Our country continues to experience rapid urbanisation and population growth,” she notes. “These dynamics require new and innovative approaches to housing delivery that are faster, more cost-effective, environmentally sustainable, climate resilient and capable of being deployed at scale.”
Innovation
For Simelane, innovation is not a luxury – it is a constitutional necessity. “A key focus of the summit is the role of IBTs in accelerating housing delivery while maintaining quality, safety and compliance with regulatory standards,” she says. “These technologies include modular and fabricated construction systems, alternative and locally produced building materials, climate-resilient designs, green and energy-efficient solutions, and smart construction methods that reduce time and cost.”
She is particularly concerned about the continued existence of mud houses. “These structures are often highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, including heavy rains and flooding, posing serious risks to the safety and well-being of occupants,” Simelane says.
“Through IBTs, we want durable, affordable alternatives that can be rolled out rapidly, while supporting local manufacturing, skills development and job creation.”
Spatial justice
The constitutional promise of dignity, she insists, must also translate into spatial justice. “With IBTs, we seek to achieve spatially transformed and socially integrated communities,” she says.
“By promoting innovative construction methods that support higher density development and well-located housing, we will reverse apartheid spatial patterns and build communities truly reflective of a democratic South Africa.”
As South Africa reflects on 30 years of constitutional democracy, Simelane’s message is both reflective and forward-looking. “Through hosting the IBTs Summit, the department affirms its commitment to ensuring that all South Africans have safe, decent and affordable housing,” she says. “Innovation must play a critical role in accelerating delivery and improving the quality of household life.”
Ultimately, she returns to the Constitution itself. “Housing is not just about structures,” Simelane concludes. “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.”
*This article was first published in the Public Sector Manager magazine.
