Housing in Southern Africa July 2016

The National Housing Finance Corporation has disbursed R7,1 billion, leveraged R19 billion, and created 477 000 housing opportunities in the past 20 years and currently has a loan book of R3,4 billion. This is a formidable achievement in unlocking housing development, providing social and private, inner city rental housing, by taking risks where others feared to tread, while remaining profitable and sustainable. state-owned entity has offered fa- vourable terms to encourage social housing institutions to deliver social rental housing for the low income sector earning between R1 500 and R7 500 per month. A number of inner city housing specialists received their first break- through and funding opportunities from the NHFC, and many are now renowned housing providers with sizeable housing stock. The formation of funders such as the Trust for Urban Housing Fi- nance, a flagship project created and initially funded by the NHFC, offers ordinary people keen to develop inner city housing the opportunity to convert dilapidated, hi-jacked or

Leadership NHFC

Samson Moraba

T he NHFC is embedded in the fabric of human settlements and this year the government’s key development finance institution celebrates its 20 th anniversary. It has a well-respected board under Chair Professor Michael Katz and CEO Samson Moraba, who have led the NHFC for the past 16 years. This is a long time in any business but to head the NHFC and outlast most CEOs and Chairs at a state owned entity is com- mendable. Moraba shares insights and the history of the formation of the NHFC; the highlights as well as the tough times. The social housing sector devel- opment was initiated and supported, by the NHFC and since 1998 the

commercial buildings and contribute to inner city regeneration The NHFC has proven to the com- mercial banking sector that social housing can be a worthwhile invest- ment, provided there are projects of scale, and has also successfully changed perceptions over the years about the inner city as a no-go area.

Housing Forum

In 1994, the Botshabelo Accord

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