Rental homes for the households the market misses.
Social housing is regulated, affordable rental housing for households earning between R1 850 and R22 000 a month, developed inside declared restructuring zones by accredited non-profit institutions.
Where Magna Carta is: We are preparing for SHRA accreditation. No homes or allocation waiting list are available yet. You can ask to be notified about future opportunities.
How it works
Four parties, one chain of accountability. The homes stay affordable because the institution that owns them cannot take profit out of them.
- 1 · CapitalPublic grant plus private finance
The state provides a capital grant per unit through SHRA for projects inside restructuring zones. The balance is raised from lenders and the institution's own funds.
- 2 · InstitutionAn accredited non-profit develops and owns
An accredited Social Housing Institution packages the project, builds it with professional teams and holds the completed homes. Magna Carta is preparing to become one; it is not accredited yet.
- 3 · TenantsQualifying households rent
Homes are let to households inside the income band, allocated through a published framework, with rents set to remain affordable.
- 4 · RegulatorSHRA accredits, approves and audits
The regulator accredits the institution, approves each project, and audits tenants, buildings and finances every year.
Well located, and kept that way
Most affordable housing in South Africa was built far from work. Social housing is the instrument designed to reverse that: it can only be built in areas municipalities have chosen because they are close to jobs, transport, schools and clinics.
Because the institution is a non-profit under regulatory supervision, the rents it collects go back into maintenance, reserves and the next project. A household that qualifies today can expect the building to be as well run in twenty years as on the day it opened.
Magna Carta was formed to be that kind of owner and is preparing its accreditation application now; it has no homes yet. Our tenant pages explain who will qualify and how allocation will work; our project pages explain how we will choose sites.
Straight answers
Regulator facts are taken from the SHRA website and the Social Housing Act. Where a figure can change, we say so.
Is social housing the same as RDP or subsidy housing?
No. Subsidy (RDP or BNG) housing is given to qualifying households to own. Social housing is rental housing, owned by an accredited non-profit institution, for households whose income is above the subsidy threshold but below what the private market serves.
Who sets the income band?
The national Department of Human Settlements sets the qualifying band and SHRA publishes it. At the time of writing it is R1 850 to R22 000 gross monthly household income. Monthly household income band published by SHRA at the time of writing. The band is set nationally and revised from time to time; the current circular in the SHRA resource centre applies.
Can I buy my social housing unit later?
No. SHRA states that the law does not allow ownership of social housing units: every tenant signs a lease, and renting is the only way to access social housing in South Africa. The homes stay in the rental stock so that they remain affordable for the next household. Government runs separate programmes for people who want to own a home.
Who exactly qualifies, in the regulator’s words?
SHRA’s Social Housing Beneficiaries Brochure (May 2026) lists: household income between R1 850 and R22 000; 18 years or older; a clean credit record (affordability); South African citizen or permanent resident; married or single, with or without dependants; competent to contract; and able to pay the required monthly rental. Our tenant page repeats that list without adding to it.
What if I have a problem with my landlord?
A tenant who feels unfairly treated can contact the Rental Housing Tribunal at the provincial Department of Human Settlements. SHRA describes it as a free service that resolves complaints through a simplified procedure without attorneys. Our own complaints and appeals process comes first, and the Tribunal remains available at any time.
What is a restructuring zone?
A geographic area a municipality has identified, and the Minister has approved, as a priority for social housing because it is well located for jobs, transport and services. Capital grants can only be used for projects inside one.
Who regulates the institutions?
Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), established in August 2010 under the Social Housing Act 16 of 2008. It accredits institutions, approves projects, disburses capital grants and monitors compliance, including tenant and building audits.
Sources: income band from the SHRA home page, read 5 September 2026; the circular in force is published in the SHRA resource centre; the Act is the Social Housing Act 16 of 2008. Eligibility wording is our plain-language reading and will be confirmed by a housing compliance specialist before any waiting list opens.