By Akani Nkuna
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the incorporation of technological solutions in housing development, town planning and human settlements, saying innovation offers government a pathway to rapid, large-scale delivery that responds to contemporary challenges such as climate change while remaining affordable.
“If we continue to build in the old way, on the same land, with the same vulnerabilities, using the same methods and the same materials, then we are not solving the housing challenge. We must make a change, and this is the time for that change, in the light of population growth, climate pressures and technological advances,” Ramaphosa said.
“We have to think beyond traditional ways of building. We have to think beyond just bricks and mortar. We must embrace technological solutions that enable housing to be delivered faster, better and at scale — and, in my view, cheaper, because I always look at the bottom line: is it cheaper?”
Ramaphosa was speaking at the opening of the two-day Innovative Building Technologies (IBT) Summit held in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, where he emphasised the need to modernise human settlements while upholding the dignity, safety and security of communities.
The summit brought together stakeholders from the construction sector, manufacturing, domestic and international investment circles, and government to solicit technology-driven solutions to South Africa’s housing backlog and the demand for safe, affordable and innovative developments.
The president underscored the importance of forward-thinking approaches to housing delivery, highlighting technology as a tool to build disaster-resilient structures, conserve resources and protect lives.
“Traditional construction methods — while familiar and trusted — are no longer sustainable on their own. Water scarcity, rising energy costs, climate risks and the urgency of scale demand that we modernise how we build,” he added.
Ramaphosa said migration and climate change remain two of the most significant forces reshaping South Africa’s human settlements, noting projections that nearly eight out of ten South Africans will be living in cities by 2030.
He said accelerating the adoption of IBT solutions would enable faster housing delivery while ensuring that land earmarked for development is properly assessed to prevent settlements from being established on vulnerable or disaster-prone land.
“The planning processes in our cities and towns are not up to standard. Town planning is an area we have neglected by allowing people to build wherever they want, even in dangerous locations. We must return to proper town planning,” Ramaphosa said.
The president estimated that between R250 billion and R400 billion would be required to deliver approximately 2.1 million innovative housing units nationwide, conceding that the state currently does not have sufficient funding to meet this scale.
He further cited project delays, land shortages and rising construction costs as major obstacles to housing delivery, with knock-on effects felt across income groups through rising rental costs, while the most vulnerable remain without access to adequate housing and basic services.
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane echoed the president’s remarks, saying the moment was ripe for innovative housing solutions that meet international standards while fulfilling the constitutional mandate to provide adequate housing.
“The way we have been building is no longer sufficient for the scale, speed and complexity of South Africa’s housing challenges,” Simelane said.
She revealed that the department has mapped 4 705 informal settlements across the country, with metropolitan municipalities accounting for about 70% of them, while the remainder are spread across provinces.
Simelane said the growth of informal settlements reflects congestion and poor planning driven by slow housing delivery, forcing residents to occupy open spaces not intended for human settlement.
“The reality demands that our infrastructure be climate-resilient, energy-efficient and water-wise, and that we drive a green economy so that we contribute to priority number two — engineering economic growth,” she added.
INSIDE METROS