Examples of what the Department was seeking to achieve were the housing project in the North West launched by Impala Platinum (Implats) last year for people who worked for the company and the project launched last month in KwaZulu-Natal by cement producer Afrisam for a community in need of homes, she said.  Implats spent R522 million in its 2010 financial year on housing as part of its home ownership programme to help employees acquire their own property.

Afrisam's project, proposed by the Mineral Resources Department and part of its social and labour plan commitments, involved the company handing over 24 houses to destitute families in Ladysmith. The social and labour plan is an agreement undertaken by companies when they receive a mining right. Afrisam established the Shayamoya Housing Project and built 24 three-bedroom houses with the help of the Uthukela District and Ladysmith Local Municipalities, which provided roads infrastructure, domestic water supply, storm water drainage systems and technical services.

Beneficiaries also received groceries to the value of R1 000 each whenthey received their new homes. Afrisam followed its own criteria and selected beneficiaries in Steadville in Ladysmith who were categorised as child-headed families, orphans, elderly, physically or mentally abused and children infected with HIV and Aids. The company also established two state-of-the-art computer centres, at Everest Height and Redcliffe Primary Schools in Verulam, each equipped with 20 computers and various hi-tech accessories.

"This is the kind of action the Department envisages as opposed to seeking cash," Maphumulo said. She said the idea for the "Each One Settle One" campaign came out of consultations with various stakeholders in the human settlement space.

"It is championed by Minister Tokyo Sexwale and fully supported by all provinces. It is born out of a realisation that more partnerships are needed to deal with some of these challenges," Maphumulo concluded.