The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) is an independent research organisation which focuses on gathering new knowledge, information and analysis in the field of poverty and inequality.
Through working with institutions of democracy academia and civil society organisations, the organisation is able to develop and promote sustainable development and support the development of a tradition of effective public participation in policy-making and implementation.
SPII is an independent, non-profit organisation based in Johannesburg established in 2006. Their primary focus is guided by the values of the South African Constitution.
According to their website, “The organisation believes that poverty undermines democracy and inhibits the development of all aspects of society as a whole.”
SPII hosted a public dialogue at the Albertus Pop Centre in Eldorado Park, where the right to housing was the main topic.
The panel consisted of Dr Leonard Martin, Querida Saal, Isobel Frye, Weiszmann Hamilton and Anthony Phillips.
According to Frye, the community has the right to receive a response from the government when addressing anything involving finance and housing.
Saal said that there has been an increase in the demand for housing and the unemployment rate is high amongst the youth. Everybody has a right to basic needs, which are a right to water, electricity and other essential services.
She added that these needs can be met and there are measures that can be taken in order to meet these needs, but the land is made available foreign investors instead of the citizenry whose need for land is greater.
This is the reason that communities are marginalised and denied economic opportunities.
Another point that Saal raised was that in 2013, a study was conducted to establish where the land is and who it belongs to. The study showed that 14 percent of South Africa’s land is owned by the state, 79 percent is privately owned and 7 percent is unaccounted for.
One of the solutions mentioned in the public dialogue meeting was how to get the private landowners to come to the party to assist those who are in need of land in South Africa.
The meeting highlighted that the challenges our community faces the lack of transparency and access to information. This was proven by the poor attendance of residents who stood to gain the most from the public dialogue.
Phillips however, attributed the poor turnout to the hopelessness residents felt with regards to the housing crisis in our country.
In essence, the meeting aimed to map a course forward in an attempt to find solutions to the lack of adequate housing, providing a decent standard of living and ensuring that all citizens’ basic needs were met.
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