HUMAN Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale is spot-on: South Africa must urgently address the divisive, sensitive and costly provision of housing to its poorest citizens.
It is divisive because it has, in some instances, set comrade against comrade with claims of foreigners surprisingly jumping the queue ahead of people who have been on the waiting lists for up to 10 years.
It is sensitive because the provision of housing cannot be wished away, especially in a society where the rich are getting fatter while the poor are getting hungrier.
It is costly because even the richest governments cannot afford to continue pouring money into a programme that seems endless: some of our homeless are hellbent on abusing the system at every turn.
Others move into RDP houses only to sell them and return to shacks, while shady officials are using it as a cash cow.
Sexwale said yesterday: "There has to be a cut-off date for discussing that. But we can't cut off the poor right now, particularly in the current national economic environment.
"We can't sustain what we are doing for a long time."
He said SA had around 2500 slums, and also had to deal with the growing population of immigrants from countries like Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Just like many other areas crying for attention - health and education come to mind - there has been too much lip service and unnecessary failings.
These goals can be attained, Mr Sexwale. Get rid of the rotten elements in the mix, then half the job is done.
- Sowetan
It is divisive because it has, in some instances, set comrade against comrade with claims of foreigners surprisingly jumping the queue ahead of people who have been on the waiting lists for up to 10 years.
It is sensitive because the provision of housing cannot be wished away, especially in a society where the rich are getting fatter while the poor are getting hungrier.
It is costly because even the richest governments cannot afford to continue pouring money into a programme that seems endless: some of our homeless are hellbent on abusing the system at every turn.
Others move into RDP houses only to sell them and return to shacks, while shady officials are using it as a cash cow.
Sexwale said yesterday: "There has to be a cut-off date for discussing that. But we can't cut off the poor right now, particularly in the current national economic environment.
"We can't sustain what we are doing for a long time."
He said SA had around 2500 slums, and also had to deal with the growing population of immigrants from countries like Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Just like many other areas crying for attention - health and education come to mind - there has been too much lip service and unnecessary failings.
These goals can be attained, Mr Sexwale. Get rid of the rotten elements in the mix, then half the job is done.
- Sowetan
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