A Tale
of two vastly different built environments in the South Africa domestic architectural landscape.
by Vivaladraught, an architectural crusader trying to shed small light on living conditions across the SA socio economic spectrum.
The
South African built environment landscape has 2 very clear systems that
operate completely separately from each other. This does have a much broader impact socially and culturally, however that is a
much more complex subject. A deep subject im not really qualified or experienced to comment on.
This small essay is to try focus much needed attention on the architectural domestic
built environment front here in the SA landscape. To desperately try and create some much needed perspective and dialogue to
allow some much needed level headed reasoning & huge changes to prevail. How can perspective change if the direction of thinking is completely cast in stone, sinkplaat and building an unregulated dwelling directly on cape dune sand?
The
tale of these two built environments needs to be told as a matter of absolute urgency. Because each has positives that can be gained from each other.
Sadly and frustratingly the rate things are now going, each of
these 2 built environment systems is doing its level best to
completely ignore the other and grow in completely separate and opposite directions. To the complete detriment of everyone living in definetly the informal built environment. Alarmingly at no
point in the future do these 2 built environment entities ever look like they will ever converge or align, And
this is very worrying. These 2 systems coincide on so many levels, but stubbornly they march away from each other. Where those living in the formal built environment dont fully understand the plight of those living in the informal built environment.
Without
complicating this discussion, we need to separate public building works
and the industrialized built environments. In this discussion its only the
domestic built environments that need to be carefully scrutinized looked at and changed. And the
process of plans regulation and planning submissions needs to become better. The domestic built
environment is a multi billion Rand industry and needs to be working smoothly
for job creation and a sustainable economy. Jobs are being held up by immense bureaucratic government run planning systems that are fanatically over regulating the building plans
submission and approval process. Not allowing plans approval for building work to be easily accomplished and implemented.
the two
built environments are
1) The formal domestic built
environment , which is completely over regulated by council
bureaucratic red tape fanatics, who at municipal level find every reason why
plans should not be approved. Its becoming completely ludicrous that the built environment planning system is holding up
simple building jobs for well over a year or more. This is now costing the
public billions in inflation costs and wasted time. To add to the complete
frustration these municipal fanatics constantly fiddle with zoning scheme
regulations, change plans submission procedures and change submission forms. Not to
mention their new computer submission systems going off line for days on end and also wiping submission flash drives completely clean of all
information when submitting. forcing the professionals to now rescan everything once again. (at a huge personal cost of course) The knock on effect of this insanity is that the architectural
professional is left looking less than professional in front of a totally irate
client. This over regulation and constant changing of regulation procedures and
complete disregard for architectural professionals, public and builders
waiting to build, is now completely out of control.
2) Informal built environment, in this system the rules and regulations are nowhere near as restrictive. Building plans are not needed for building work within these communities. Privately run street committees decide on all matters within these communities and building
work is happening faster than the available land can keep up. Municipalities dont regulate
these communities with the same vice like grip as they display in the formal
sector. I would be surprised if a building inspector is able to control
the full impact of the informal domestic work going up at alarming rates. It appears that the
municipalities here in cape town, inspect, regulate and monitor the
first system fervently, whilst giving the second informal built environment a complete wave
through of the hand to do anything it pleases. This approach doesnt care at all that millions of people now live very unsafely in communities that completely burn down regularly. Are built so badly that TB and other issues spread in unventilated tin shacks. Duevto the unregulated living environment millions are compromised, thousands of people die. Surely an equal medium should desperately trying to be reached between the two.
Another huge issue is that informal settlements are not regulated. Which means a south african can own multiple properties in multiple informal settlements, renting out to foreigners at premium rates. These communities give huge sums of finance to the street committees. Its my understanding that very minimal rates and taxes or finance goes back into the system to help support roads and infrastructure in the community. Its really the formal sector that pays for all of that. Some people are making huge profit in this area. However thats all in the private sector not controlled by councils.
Both
systems have merit however the informal settlement is being regulerised by private enterprises not by regulations that save and protect lives. Private enterprise does not care about safe living conditions. It only cares about money, while people literally die in fire and live in crime, rat infested, below flood line hovels. All aided and abetted by regulation loopholes allowed by on high officiating procedures. I say no more as the blame for these unregulated from a building perspective is at only one entities feet. An entity serving itself not that of the people suffering under it. From ravaging fires, disease born from unregulated building techniques and over crowded space. Its shambolic in its architectural outcome. These inhormsl setulement get bigger while families suffer living under way below living conditions. Being charged astronomical rent from unregulated landlords.
As architectural professionals we are having to rewrite the entire national building regulation documents on our formal sector submission plans. In the formal built environment, If ones plans clearly have notes like, all
building work to be in accordance with the relevant national building
regulations and performed by qualified and registered contractors to meet with
local authority regulations. And a structural engineer will be appointed by the
owner of the property to check and approve structural integrity of design. etc
etc. surely one doesn’t now still have to put every single note that
is in the national building regs onto ones plans as well? Their are plans examiners in
cape town who spend days writing essays of notes that are found in the national
building regs, for professionals now to painstakingly add national building regulation notes to all documents, which
takes a long time. surely linking ones plans to this massive document is
enough, surely making sure the owner knows that he needs to appoint suitably
qualified contractors and a structural engineer will take care of the detail. Once plans have been passed zoning and scrutiny fees are paid, surely it should be
an easy enough approval stamp. The informal built environment not a single regulation gets upheld or checked.
So we
have 1 system that is completely over regulated on a first world building standard level and getting much worse.
A second system, another built environment system that completely is allowed to go forward completely unregulated.
Surely we
can find a SA built environment system that works down the middle somewhere so both can converge and benefit.
Hopefully
the council for the built environment can start solving this massive, massive issue
which is bringing an entire industry to its knees. Crippling job creation and
holding up the economy. The SA economy needs work to be created – it
cannot be created if the very building plans are being held up for years due to
petty tin soldier type officialDOM mad mindedness.
What incentives are there for an informal settlement dweller to become upwardly mobile. So they are able to live in the formal sector one day? At the moment a huge amount of people will never bridge the great chasm of informal to formal built environment divide.
A solution and a more equal way forward needs to be found asap – or we will simply all sink further
in a red tape kwagmire of complete apathy. While genuine families suffer under the weight of greed and whole sale incompetence living under deplorable conditions.
yours sincerely
Vivaladraught. activist extraordinaire. Padawan graphic monkey and specialist advocate for the acute down trodden.
