How Hustlenomics Is Providing Housing In South African Townships. Apartheid transformed the infrastructure of South Africa, forcing thousands of coloured and black Africans to move into underfunded and underdeveloped townships. Now, over 20 years after the Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP) was implemented under Nelson Mandela’s leadership, over 3.5 million South Africans are members of households in a precarious situation: they earn too much income to qualify for state-subsidized housing, yet they cannot afford safe and secure housing within the private market. This epidemic, this “gap” in the rental market, is continuing to worsen at an alarming rate. In turn, more and more South Africans are choosing to live in informal and unsafe shack structures without electricity or running water.
Hustlenomics is addressing rising needs within these informal human settlements by providing affordable and sustainable housing options. A South African Black Owned Company founded in 2015 by Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Hustlenomics is a Level One B-BBEE impact-driven social enterprise with the mission to replace backyard shacks with quality and durable homes. Tired of his poor living conditions and lacking financial resources to contract builders, he joined forces with friends, who were skilled in plumbing and carpentry. Together, they built his first structure in his own backyard, which his family lives in today. Annually, at least 51% of the company’s revenue is reinvested back into the business to create more homes and jobs in South Africa.
Backyard dwellings are an affordable and accessible form of housing to low-income communities. However, shacks are highly unsafe and unsustainable. Hustlenomics is transforming the quality of the backyard rental housing market options. Hustlenomics eradicates backyard shacks in townships by replacing them with formal structures efficiently to provide sustainable living. The company specialises in General Building and Construction, Architectural Design, Brick Manufacturing, Project Management, and Property Development.
The unemployment rate is extremely high in South Africa at approximately 30%. In townships such as Soweto, it is even higher. Hustlenomics is creating job opportunities, especially for local women and youths. Many low-income households utilise yard space for rentals. However, they often cannot access traditional home financing options. Hustlenomics provides homeowners with the platform for sustainable rental income for years to come.
To date, the company has been involved with 30+ projects in Soweto. At the moment, Ndlovu is overseeing the pilot testing of the interlocking brick technology. He and his innovative business idea have won national and international awards, including the Social Innovation Award 2018 South Africa.
