This article has been supplied and will be available for a limited time only on this website. By: Khanyisa Mabala - Technical Director, MEPF Lead, Cost Management, EC, South Africa, AECOM
South Africa’s affordable housing challenge is too often framed as a numbers game: how many houses can be built, how quickly and at what cost? While increasing housing delivery remains a national priority, this perspective overlooks a more fundamental question. What actually makes housing affordable over the long term?
The answer extends far beyond the purchase price of a home or the monthly rental. True affordability is determined by the total cost of living. It encompasses transport costs, access to employment, healthcare, education, utilities, security, maintenance and the quality of infrastructure that supports everyday life.
A development may appear affordable on paper because the units are inexpensive to build, yet prove financially unsustainable for residents if it is poorly connected to economic opportunities and essential services. If South Africa is serious about addressing its housing backlog, the conversation must evolve from delivering affordable housing units to creating affordable cities.
