The South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP) welcomes the adoption of the 2019 ANC Election Manifesto launched by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa on 12 January 2019 in Durban, KZN.
While some progress has been made over the last 25 years in the establishment of our young democracy and the economic advancement of the black majority, there is still a long road ahead. The governing party is now faced with solving the most pressing challenge of our time – rampant and ever-increasing socio-economic inequality.
Disproportionate property ownership patterns still threaten the stability of our country as the majority continues to struggle to secure adequate housing within proximity to economic centres and/or participate meaningfully in the economic value chain of the property sector. As one of the last remaining bastions of the oppressive apartheid regime, the exclusion of black people from the property sector must be addressed with urgency.
SAIBPP supports the fast-tracking and implementation of a comprehensive land reform programme that will result in:
1. The transfer of title and ownership through the recognition of multiple forms of tenure
2. The establishment of a central national land administration body to administer the use of all land whether publicly or privately owned
3. Spatial transformation and the eradication of the remnants of Apartheid spatial planning
4. Spatial integration in urban centres through inclusionary housing policies and commercial re-zoning within townships
5. Facilitate and fast-track property ownership by women
Transforming the structure of the economy to drive inclusive and sustainable growth must remain the top priority – the governing party must lead by example by ensuring that all state-owned entities, government departments and service providers submit their compliance reports and are, in fact, B-BBEE compliant. We can no longer afford to pay lip service to transformation, both the private and the public sector have a role to play in driving inclusive growth.
Combatting the scourge of rising unemployment can and will only be achieved by supporting and developing SMMEs, particularly black-owned, women and youth-owned businesses. SAIBPP therefore supports the ANC’s vision to “grow small enterprises, co-operatives and the township and village economies” but notes that more diverse funding and financing options are required to support emerging black entrepreneurs whose growth continues to be hamstrung by; the lack of access to equity, inconsistent cash flow from late payments and endless bureaucratic red tape.