South African housing policy and housing policy research: theoretical discourse in the post-apartheid era

𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 The aim of this thesis is to provide an integrated epistemological analysis of the theoretical discourse on housing policy and research implementation relevant to the South African context. Chapter 1 comprises the rationale for the thesis by emphasising that there is as yet no comprehensive study that encapsulates the theoretical foundations of housing policy research in South Africa. It is further highlighted that three decades of contemporary theoretical developments on housing in Western Europe have largely gone unnoticed in the South African scholarly environment. By drawing on the traditions of post-structuralism, social constructionism and critical discourse analysis, methodological ways of addressing inadequate theory development on housing in post-apartheid South Africa are further explored. Chapter 2 is devoted to an overview of housing theory and housing discourses in developing countries. The theoretical concepts and approaches discussed in Chapter 2 are related to the Marxist and the neo-Marxist schools of thought, neo-liberalism, development theories and to the notion of political economy. Chapter 3 is an assessment of housing theory and discourse in Western Europe and contains an extensive overview of the development of theory in the European context. Specific focus falls on welfare state theoretical developments, while the value of comparative and historical methodologies in interpreting welfare state theories is expounded. In Chapter 4, the historical development of housing policies both in Western Europe and in developing countries is outlined. Conceptual themes in this chapter centre on the dualities between formal and informal housing discourses, the application of welfare state intervention in providing housing for the poor and for the low-wage working class, and mention is made of the contested, multidimensional ideologies that feature in ownership discourses. Chapter 5 deals with the relevance of the different theoretical frameworks in re-interpreting the historical narrative and the ideological underpinnings of housing policy development in South Africa. The presence of welfare state theories within the current South African housing policy is illuminated, thereby paving the way for expansion on these theories in future scholarly discourses on housing in the post-apartheid era. In Chapter 6, social constructivism is employed to indicate how theoretical concepts on housing policy may be applied in implementation projects at grass-roots level. The case studies endeavour to provide a platform conducive to the evolvement of housing policies that will be more socially and culturally responsive than were those prior to the completion of this thesis. The outputs and contribution of this thesis aim to encourage dialogues about the value of theory, research and implementation. The thesis has generated both academic and creative outputs. The academic outputs include two accredited publications and the creative outputs comprise buildings either completed or in the process of completion. The thesis highlights the relevance of evolving indigenous cultural practices in spawning housing policy discourses for the future. By specifically embracing principles of informality, both self-help building technologies and skills transfer have significant contributions to make as regards addressing housing shortages in the country in geographical locations like the Free State Province and other rural areas.