All About RDP Housing
December 6, 2022

All About RDP Housing and GIC’s Role in Ending Homelessness in South Africa

To date, RDP housing has benefitted millions of South Africans by providing affordable housing for low-income families, and GIC has been part of this process. With a housing shortage and difficult living conditions plaguing the lives of so many in the country, various solutions and initiatives have been put forward to remedy these challenges. One such solution is RDP housing, and with the assistance of a stellar leader in South Africa’s infrastructure development like GIC, this solution becomes all the more viable. We know that all citizens deserve to live in a comfortable, safe home that provides security to them and their households for generations to come. We at GIC endeavour to make it possible.

What is RDP Housing?

The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP housing) was created to be a government-subsidised housing programme in South Africa. The programme was started as a socio-economic policy and was initiated in 1994 by the government of President Nelson Mandela. Beneficiaries of the programme are afforded housing that offers high-quality shelter, running water and sanitation, and electricity. By providing improved social services for previously disadvantaged communities, not only is homelessness alleviated but the macro-economic environment of the country is boosted too. Beneficiaries can therefore own homes at no cost, with no need to purchase the home or lay down a deposit. There are six, basic principles of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, namely:

1. A programme that is coherent, integrated, and sustainable.
2. A community-centred, people-driven process.
3. The promotion of peace and security for all people in South Africa.
4. Nation-building and tackling the current inequality.
5. Growth, development, and reconstruction as a unified endeavour.
6. The ongoing democratisation of our society.

What are the Main Objectives of RDP Housing?

Included within the Reconstruction and Development Programme are several policies and strategies, but they are all grouped according to the objectives of RDP housing in South Africa. These objectives, or key programmes, are the following:

• Meeting the basic needs of people, which includes shelter and land, running water, sanitation, electricity, transport, telecommunications, and employment.
• Emphasising and developing human resources in a community, and prioritising training and education.
• Addressing weaknesses in the economy by reconstructing certain aspects to the benefit of all people.
• Democratisation and development of society through a people-centred approach.
• Establishing effective RDP structures within national, provincial, and local government to introduce positive change to communities in need.

We at Gap Infrastructure Corporation support these objectives, and through our turnkey solutions and services, we can assist the government in providing RDP housing to South Africans who require it most.

We Partner with Government and Communities to Create Positive Change

The GIC team specialises in the design, procurement, and management of outstanding projects – from large-scale infrastructure development to low-cost housing and town planning for impoverished communities. We partner with key stakeholders such as local government departments and organisations to provide exceptional services. These services not only meet but exceed the needs of the communities in which these solutions are implemented. In this way, we join the South African government in promoting equitable access to basic needs that include housing and land.

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