Housing, together with clean water, sanitation, education and healthcare, is a Constitutional right, not a privilege, and yet thousands of South Africans go home to overcrowded informal settlements.

The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) was the government's answer to housing the nation. Introduced in 1994, the programme took flight at great speed, erecting around 180 000 houses annually.

But despite the government's determination to provide better living conditions for all, the housing backlog seems unstoppable. The City of Cape Town's backlog currently stands at 400 000 while another 18 000 to 20 000 families seek accommodation each year. Without drastic changes, the backlog is estimated to grow to 804 000 by 2040. Currently, the city can only afford to build around 14 000 units per year.

Gauteng, home to some of the country's largest informal settlements ? estimated at around 182 in Johannesburg alone ? accommodates approximately 180 000 households, which translates into a housing backlog of an estimated 500 000 houses. All provinces reported large backlogs despite progress made in the delivery of new houses.

Backlog will never be eradicated

The cost of one RDP unit is estimated to be around R70 000. An annual amount of R1-billion is allocated to the Western Cape, servicing the 14 000 units. Experts have blasted this amount, saying that the backlog will never be eradicated. However they predict that if government doubles the amount, the backlog can be wiped out by 2030.

Another criticism that plagues the RDP is that government stands accused of building 'death traps'. Corner-cutting during construction and structural problems have led to rapidly deteriorating houses. Research in 2000 found that only 30 percent of new houses built complied with the building regulations.

Government's road to housing the nation has been no walk in the park. Land scarcity, lack of funds, and a shortage of skills hampers its plans to alleviate housing constraints, while urban migration, natural growth and an increase in households also contributes to the lack in delivery.

The national government spends a paltry 1.5 percent of its budget on housing. The average for emerging markets is around five percent. Reprioritising the country's housing needs will not only alleviate poverty but also encourage job creation and limit skills shortage.

A culture of dependency

Don't get me wrong, I'll not encouraging a culture of dependency. It has the potential to destroy our society but where do you draw the line when human lives are at stake? It's not just about land, bricks and cement; it's about fulfilling the basic needs of living, breathing people. While I disapprove of government handouts, the reality is that a combined income of R2000 per month can only buy so much.

Government's poor approach to housing is evidently unsustainable from a financial and resource perspective. A national task team will need to be assembled to probe and determine the accuracy of the backlog. National and local governments will need to team up while calling in the help of the private sector, NGOs and communities to shorten the waiting period. Government will need to rethink its housing strategy or face losing the backlog battle.