Address at World Cities Day Forum in Fujian, Xiamen, People’s Republic of China
Topic: Inclusive Cities, Shared Development
Vice Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development The Deputy Executive Director of UN Habitat
The Governor or Vice Governor of Fujian Province The Mayor or Vice Mayor of Xiamen
Esteemed Delegates Ladies and Gentlemen
I greet you all this morning on this last day of Habitat month. We are meeting today just after the conclusion of Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador; where the New Urban Agenda was adopted.
This agenda seeks to promote “inclusivity and ensure that all inhabitants of present and future generations, without discrimination of any kind are able to inhabit in safe, affordable, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements in order to foster prosperity and quality of life for all”.
Let us also remind ourselves that this is also a year since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is critical that we pay particular attention to where cities and human settlements are highlighted under Goal II, “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.
The 2016 mid-year population estimate puts South Africa’s population at 55.9 million people. Of this number, slightly more than 60% of the population is urbanised and this is projected to increase to about 70% by 2030. This means that by 2030, nearly three (3) out of every five (5) people will live in urban areas.
The 40 million that are likely to live in urban areas will mostly be in the metropolitan provinces. This will have negative implications for planning, infrastructure and the delivery of basic services including a demand for housing.
Inequality has become further spatialised between provinces which are more urbanised and doing well economically and the rest of the country. Migration seems to follow these income patterns as households migrate to improve their household incomes and access to services.
It is for this reason that as the Department of Human Settlements we have worked closely with Metropolitan Cities. We gave them funding known as Urban Settlement Development Grant. So that they are able to deal with these migration patterns – particularly the mushrooming of informal settlements. Cities must be inclusive and accessible to new inhabitants.
We also promote the spirit of partnership with the private sector in the building of integrated human settlements. The projects are more than 10 000 units. It has attracted investment into housing in cities.
We are also addressing these migration patterns through spatial transformation, focusing on spatial planning and land use management, human settlements masterplan and transport masterplan.
These pieces of legislation are all responding to Government strategy known as National Development Plan 2030. NDP’s objective is to eliminate poverty by 2030. The strategy also wants cities to be inclusive. Speak to rural and urban linkages. Settlements that are inclusive in secure environments and connected essential services.
The Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) was developed as a response to South Africa’s urbanisation trends.
This policy framework is to ensure that development is inclusive, resilient and liveable urban settlements, while addressing ongoing challenges in Cities and Towns. The New Urban Agenda has come at the right time.
I thank you.
