Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has reiterated her call for a more integrated approach to government planning and service delivery.
Simelane made the call at the 25th South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) Conference in Durban, on Sunday, 27 September 2026.
The Minister joined leaders of different sectors, including government, academic institutions, and private sector at the annual conference, held under the theme: “Growth and Sustainability through improved governance: Reimagining institutions, leadership and development in a changing world.”
Simelane participated as a panel member in a discussion themed: “The Future of South Africa: Reimagining Governance, Leadership and Inclusive Development”, which deliberated on various reforms to help build a resilient, inclusive and prosperous South Africa.
In her address, Simelane stressed that human settlements must be developed around the needs of people and communities rather than institutional silos.
She said the approach is essential to closing the gap between the promise of the Constitution and the daily experiences of South Africans.
Simelane said the future of South Africa will depend on whether public institutions can turn policy, public resources and public authority into visible improvements in people’s lives.
“For those of us who work in Human Settlements, the future is never abstract. It is visible in where people live, how far they travel to work, whether their communities are safe, whether basic services function and whether children can reach schools and access other amenities,” Simelane said, noting that governance should ultimately be measured through outcomes, rather than the number of meetings held, plans approved or budgets spent.
“A citizen experiences governance through a working tap, a safe road, a secure home, a reliable public transport route and a public servant who responds with competence and respect,” the Minister said.
The Minister also stressed that a whole-of-government approach must become a practical method of delivery, with departments and spheres of government aligning their plans, budgets, and infrastructure programmes around common spatial priorities.
Bulk infrastructure, housing development, land-use approvals, environmental processes, transport planning, and social services must be coordinated around the same areas and timelines, she said.
“The lived reality of a household does not fit within one departmental mandate. A family in an informal settlement does not experience housing, water, sanitation, transport, safety, schooling, and employment as separate government functions. These are interconnected conditions of daily life.”
Simelane said human settlements provide one of the clearest tests of whether development is inclusive, stressing that providing a house alone is not sufficient to create a sustainable community.
“A house without water, sanitation, energy, roads, transport, schools, healthcare, public spaces, and economic opportunity cannot, on its own, constitute a sustainable human settlement,” Simelane said.
She noted that South Africa also need to confront the legacy of apartheid spatial planning, which continues to leave many low-income households far from employment opportunities, quality services, and efficient transport.
She highlighted well-located land, denser and mixed-use development, township revitalisation, inner-city regeneration and stronger links between housing and transport as key elements of spatial transformation.
Simelane said government also needs to provide a broader range of housing opportunities to respond to different needs.
She said fully subsidised housing must form part of a wider system that includes serviced sites, support for self-build initiatives, informal settlement upgrading, social housing, affordable rental accommodation, and First Home Finance.
“Our public entities are central to this work. The Housing Development Agency, Social Housing Regulatory Authority, National Housing Finance Corporation, National Home Builders Registration Council, Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority and Community Schemes Ombud Service all have roles to play in the broader housing and residential sector. These institutions must work as one delivery system, with clear mandates and shared outcomes,” Simelane said.
Leadership for public trust
The Minister also stressed the importance of ethical and professional leadership, particularly in an environment of constrained public finances, warning that every delayed project, inflated cost or avoidable defect, diverts resources from a family or community waiting for a service.
“Accountability is therefore not an administrative burden. It protects the public purpose of government.”
Simelane said professionalising public administration is critical to building stable institutions, with skilled officials, credible systems, institutional memory, and appointments based on competence.
Innovation and resilient communities
On innovation, Simelane reported that the department has introduced Innovative Building Technologies to help deliver housing faster, better and at scale.
She, however, warned that new technologies must meet standards for safety, durability, affordability and consumer protection.
Emphasised the importance of incorporating climate resilience into human settlements planning, particularly in response to risks such as flooding, heat, drought and fire.
The latest Statistics South Africa Household Survey showed that 12.2% of South African households lived in informal dwellings, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the human settlements sector.
“The challenge is not simply to build more houses, but to create safe, connected, serviced and environmentally sustainable communities,” the Minister said.
She also called for stronger partnerships between government, communities, the private sector, academia, professional bodies, and civil society.
The Minister identified five practical commitments, including planning and budgeting around places rather than institutional silos; releasing and developing well-located land and providing a wider range of housing pathways; strengthening professional capability and accountability; using evidence and technology to identify delays and improve decision-making; and building genuine partnerships with communities and other stakeholders. – SAnews.gov.za
