James CHAKWIZIRA*1
* Corresponding author
1 University of Venda, School of Environmental Sciences, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Limpopo, SOUTH AFRICA
E-mail: james.chakwizira@univen.ac.za, jameschakwizira@gmail.com
Pages: 71-88. DOI: 10.24193/JSSP.2019.2.01
Cite: Chakwizira J. (2019), Low-Income Housing Backlogs and Deficits “Blues” in South Africa. What Solutions Can a Lean Construction Approach Proffer? Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, 10(2), 71-88. DOI: 10.24193/JSSP.2019.2.01
Abstract. This paper seeks to answer the following main question: “Does housing backlogs and deficits rhetoric constrain policy makers, decision-makers, practitioners and experts from engaging in the implementation of transformative low-income housing projects and programmes in South Africa?”. The aim and purpose of this paper are: (1) to contribute to the understanding of the concept of low-income housing backlogs and deficits “blues” in South Africa. This is achieved through suggesting how innovative lean housing construction and development approach/models can play a “catalytic” role in the quest to redress low-income housing provision and delivery requirements; and (2) to argue that applied research and development of housing innovations in practice is critical in transforming the low-income housing sustainability agenda in South Africa and by extension in developing countries. The analysis is based on a critical literature review of housing approaches of low-income housing delivery, affordable strategies, policy implementation realities and discourses, low-income housing technology options, in addition to industry experience and own observation. This paper establishes the significance of considering up scaling the implementation of lean advanced construction techniques, use of low-cost building materials and fast-construction building techniques in responding to the growing demand for low-income housing provision and services in South Africa. The need to continuously monitor, evaluate and review the housing policy and regulatory set-up relevancy in addressing low-income housing deficits and backlogs with the aid of a lean construction as necessary to improve low-income housing delivery deployment in South Africa.
K e y w o r d s: low-income housing, lean construction, backlogs, deficits, innovations, technology