The Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) is a key player in transforming affordable housing and sustainable human settlements in Gauteng Province.
By effectively leveraging public and private sector resources, the GPF accelerates affordable rental housing delivery, improving lives and uplifting communities.
As an agency of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, the GPF is strategically positioned to unlock the potential within the Gauteng City Region’s (GCR) CBDs.
The department has recently prioritised the revitalisation of CBDs across the GCR, focusing on the resuscitation of dilapidated buildings and infrastructure within inner cities.
The GPF is managing a substantial project pipeline worth over R2 billion and is actively engaging with potential funding partners to develop sustainable human settlements across Gauteng Province.
“The growth of historically disadvantaged groups’ participation and the empowerment of small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) is a key priority for the GPF. We play a significant role in catalysing economic growth and promoting inclusivity and gender equality by allocating a large share of our capital budget to SMMEs,” says GPF CEO Lindiwe Kwele.
Kwele said that the GPF, through mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, innovative financing, and operational excellence, is a crucial partner to investors and the provincial government.
Since its inception in 2002, the GPF’s mandate has expanded from focusing on social housing to including affordable rental housing and major urban development projects.
The GPF serves as the funding and implementing agent for sustainable human developments in Gauteng, offering innovative funding models to share project risk with the private sector.
“The GPF has become the trusted partner for developers and funders, leveraging more than R2.2 billion from the public and private sectors to assist in transforming the lives of many Gauteng residents,” says Kwele.
“During the past 22 years, our track record reveals that more than 20,000 homes have been delivered across various typologies in the Johannesburg and Tshwane CBDs. Additionally, the positive impact of the GPF’s developments on communities has seen the creation of 130,000 job opportunities.”
The GPF currently manages a project pipeline of over R2.2 billion and is actively seeking investment to foster inner-city regeneration and create sustainable, liveable communities within the Gauteng region.
Key partnerships, such as the one with Futuregrowth Asset Management, have enabled crucial projects like The Opal Student Accommodation development in Johannesburg, which accommodates historically disadvantaged individuals and prioritises women and youth.
“The GPF’s efficient processes ensure timely fund disbursements, which has been crucial in maintaining project momentum. Through transparency, ethical governance and targeted investments, we aim to drive inclusive growth, improve housing accessibility and contribute to Gauteng’s economic recovery and urban development,” said Kwele.
The GPF’s credibility is bolstered by its consistent track record and significant achievements. During the 2023/24 financial year, the GPF improved its performance from 74.1% in 2022/23 to 81.2% in 2023/24, an overall improvement of 7.1%.
The GPF also exceeded its 2023/24 target for the completion of housing rental units, delivering 360 units against a target of 348. Although no sites were procured in the 2023/24 financial year, 1,602 serviced sites were completed.
Additionally, the organisation successfully concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with South African Home Loans (SAHL) to provide end-user finance to qualifying beneficiaries receiving serviced sites.
During the 2023/24 financial year, the GPF attracted R250 million in public and private sector funding and incurred no fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
The organisation has committed R125 million of its available cash to projects, with a loan book balance of R1.1 billion.
A notable milestone is the GPF’s implementation of an automated loan management system and the digitisation of manual processes to boost efficiency.
It has also adopted an Asset Disposal Framework to manage non-performing loans, enhancing the sustainability of its loan portfolio.
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