The South African SDI Alliance, together with SDI, is excited to announce that last week national minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu appointed Rose Molokoane to the Council of the South African Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA). Molokoane is founding member and national co-ordinator of the SA Alliance, the Federation of the Urban and Rural Poor (FEDUP) and Deputy President of SDI.
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu (left), with Jockin Arputham (SDI president), Zoe Kota-Fredericks (Deputy MInister) and Rose Molokoane (right) at National Human Settlements Indaba 2014
Rose Molokoane
In her appointment letter Minister Sisulu writes,
“Your appointment to the Council of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority is in recognition of your unique set of skills and expertise, and I am confident that your contribution will be meaningful.”
The SHRA works together with the Department of Human Settlements at all tiers, the National Housing Finance Corporation and international actors to develop the social rental housing sector for the delivery of rental housing accommodation to low and middle income earners.
The SHRA’s vision is to regulate and invest in the development of affordable rental homes in integrated urban environments through sustainable institutions. Some of the functions of the SHRA include:
- Promote the development and awareness of social housing by providing an enabling environment for the growth and development of the social housing sector.
- Provide advice and support to the Department of Human Settlements in its development of policy for the social housing sector and facilitate national social housing programmes
- Provide best practice information and research on the status of the social housing sector
- Support provincial governments with the approval of project applications by social housing institutions
- Provide assistance, when requested, with the process of the designation of restructuring zones
- Enter into agreements with provincial governments and the National Housing Finance Corporation to ensure the co-ordinated exercise of powers
Rose Molokoane facilitates daily savings workshop for FEDUP treasurers and collectors in Limpopo
Molokoane is a resident of Oukasie township near Brits in North West Province, and a member of Oukasie savings scheme. A veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle, she is one of the most internationally recognised grassroots activists involved in land tenure and housing issues. FEDUP has supported more than 150,000 shack dwellers, the vast majority of whom are women, to pool their savings. This has won them sufficient standing to negotiate with government for a progressive housing policy (People’s Housing Process) that has produced over 15,000 new homes and secured more than 1,000 hectares of government land for development.
Molokoane has initiated federations of savings schemes throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She was awarded the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor in 2005 for her struggle to bring land and homes to the poor.
Rose Molokoane with fellow members of SDI board and council from Uganda and Tanzania.
Rose Molokoane with FEDUP Western Cape members