From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog
| dc.contributor.advisor | Mooya, Manya | |
| dc.contributor.author | Meka, Kgothatso | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-12-22T08:30:57Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-12-22T08:30:57Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2025-12-22T08:28:47Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation critically examines the Rapid Land Release Program (“RLRP”) as a policy intervention designed to address South Africa's persistent housing backlog. The RLRP, rooted in the principles of incremental housing, aims to provide serviced land to beneficiaries for self-construction, reflecting a shift from traditional, fully built housing approaches. This study evaluates the program's implementation, its alignment with national housing objectives, and its capacity to address housing inequalities effectively. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study utilizes semi-structured interviews with policymakers, housing practitioners, and community leaders, complemented by document analysis of academic literature and relevant policy frameworks. The findings reveal both opportunities and challenges inherent in the RLRP. Key strengths include its potential to empower communities, reduce fiscal burdens, and promote sustainable housing delivery. However, the study identifies critical gaps in institutional capacity, policy clarity, and infrastructure delivery that hinder the program's success. The research highlights the need for strengthened intergovernmental coordination, enhanced community engagement, and robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to address these challenges. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of aligning the RLRP with broader housing policies to ensure it serves diverse population segments, including the very poor, who may be unable to benefit from incremental housing models. This dissertation contributes to the discourse on housing policy in South Africa by offering actionable recommendations to optimize the RLRP's implementation and align it with global best practices. The findings underscore the necessity for systemic reform and multi-stakeholder collaboration to realize the program's potential in addressing South Africa's complex housing needs. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Meka, K. (2025). <i>From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Construction Economics and Management. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Meka, Kgothatso. <i>"From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Construction Economics and Management, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Meka, K. 2025. From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Construction Economics and Management. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Meka, Kgothatso AB - This dissertation critically examines the Rapid Land Release Program (“RLRP”) as a policy intervention designed to address South Africa's persistent housing backlog. The RLRP, rooted in the principles of incremental housing, aims to provide serviced land to beneficiaries for self-construction, reflecting a shift from traditional, fully built housing approaches. This study evaluates the program's implementation, its alignment with national housing objectives, and its capacity to address housing inequalities effectively. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study utilizes semi-structured interviews with policymakers, housing practitioners, and community leaders, complemented by document analysis of academic literature and relevant policy frameworks. The findings reveal both opportunities and challenges inherent in the RLRP. Key strengths include its potential to empower communities, reduce fiscal burdens, and promote sustainable housing delivery. However, the study identifies critical gaps in institutional capacity, policy clarity, and infrastructure delivery that hinder the program's success. The research highlights the need for strengthened intergovernmental coordination, enhanced community engagement, and robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to address these challenges. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of aligning the RLRP with broader housing policies to ensure it serves diverse population segments, including the very poor, who may be unable to benefit from incremental housing models. This dissertation contributes to the discourse on housing policy in South Africa by offering actionable recommendations to optimize the RLRP's implementation and align it with global best practices. The findings underscore the necessity for systemic reform and multi-stakeholder collaboration to realize the program's potential in addressing South Africa's complex housing needs. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - property studies LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog TI - From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Meka K. From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment ,Department of Construction Economics and Management, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42473 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Construction Economics and Management | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.subject | property studies | |
| dc.title | From policy to practice: examining the impact and implementation of the rapid land release program in addressing South Africa's housing backlog | |
| dc.type | Thesis / Dissertation | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | MSc |