ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Reconstruction and Development Programme

       RDP Project: New Philippi Community Hall 

·  What is the RDP ?

This is an integrated and sustainable development programme. Most Philippi residents know it as a socio-economic policy that helps those families that can not afford to build their homes to do so. The RDP brings strategies to harness all our resources in a coherent and purposeful effort that can be sustained in the future. The RDP strategies will be implemented at national, provincial, but mostly local levels by government, parastatals, and organizations within civil society working within the frame work of the RDP.

·   Types of RDP Projects

The RDP has been successful in addressing the needs of the Philippi people because many houses and other facilities have been built. These are some of the types of projects under way:

 Water and Sanitation

Shelter (See section below)

Community Hall (see photo)

Libraries (see photo)

Improved Roads and Bridges

Schools (See Education) 

      RDP Project: New Brown's Farm Library

In Philippi the development has been in a good progress as the:

1.      The community hall has been built for vibes, meetings, and other school occasions.

2.      Libraries for the students to study so that they well not have to go to town for studying. Philippi municipal offices for the people housing projects.

"A roof over every head, a home for every family"

Right from the start of the RDP program, housing has been a key component because during the struggle most of the people did not have houses; they lived in shacks.  Since 1994 the Department of Housing has produced some 1,3 million new housing units for poor South Africans. This has given more  than six million people a home of their own. Philippi is one of the most townships that has benefited most from this development . 

The challenge of providing houses for the people in Philippi township is not unique as around South Africa this program has played a big role in developing houses for the people. Philippi has the most increasing number of people it is estimated that in the year 2002-2005 the population will rich more than 600,000 than this situation in the picture will take time to improve. The R.D.P has provided different options for the people such as follow:

Housing subsidies

A key aspect of the Department of Housing’s programme is the R 20 300 subsidy for the construction of a simple dwelling. This can be done in one of two ways to make every one to contribute in this project of the RDP.  These are as follow(s):  

• Firstly you can make a personal contribution of R2 479 which can be added to the subsidy, or 

• Secondly, you can make a “deposit” of "sweat equity" by physical participation in the housing program.

Access to Basic Services

Progress has been made under the democratic government in broadening access to basic services:

Water. A free basic water policy was introduced in 1999 for every family in Philippi and South Africa as a whole. That made every one to have access to the water, even the small places in Philippi like Polar Park and Siyahlala.

Electricity. At the end of 1998, electricity grid connections were made. Then at the end of 1999 the whole South Africa had the electric connection. See the wires running to this fast food shop below:

Land Claims. Some of the land that was unused was used for the housing development in Philippi, and the people who had their land in the Central Business District (CBD) of Cape Town were told register for land claims. By the end of 2001,  29 000 land claims had been filed.

Progress in informal enterprise in Philippi Township

A barber shop and sweet counter near Sinethemba School

Economic Life in the Township as seen by a township artist:

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