Department of Human Settlements
RDP / BNG (Breaking New Ground) Housing
RDP vs BNG - same thing, different name
The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house was the original 1994 housing model — a small 30 m² starter home on serviced land. In 2004 it evolved into the Breaking New Ground (BNG) programme, which builds bigger, better-serviced houses (around 40-45 m² with running water, sanitation, and electricity connection). Most people still call them RDP houses; the government now issues BNG. The subsidy is the same in both cases: government pays for the land, servicing and structure, and hands you title.
How the NHNR waiting list actually works
Every applicant sits on the National Housing Needs Register (NHNR), a database run by DHS and administered by municipalities. Being on the register does not mean you get a house immediately. The register is filtered against a priority order set nationally.
- Elderly (60+) applicantsHouseholds headed by a person of pensionable age with no other property.
- Persons with disabilitiesApplicants with a valid medical disability record.
- Military veteransRegistered veterans with proof from the Department of Military Veterans.
- Long-registered applicantsHouseholds registered before 2009 who have been waiting the longest.
- Child-headed householdsWhere both parents are deceased and the eldest child holds the household together.
- Everyone elseWorking through the waiting list in registration order.
Typical wait times by province (Sep 2026)
| Province | Median wait after NHNR registration |
|---|---|
| Gauteng | 10 – 15 years (Johannesburg & Ekurhuleni longest) |
| Western Cape | 8 – 12 years (higher in Cape Town Metro) |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 7 – 11 years |
| Eastern Cape | 6 – 10 years |
| Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West | 5 – 9 years |
| Free State, Northern Cape | 4 – 8 years |
Priority-category applicants (rows 1-3 above) move ahead of these medians.
How to register on the NHNR
- Go to the municipal Housing office in the town where you want to be housed. Registration must happen at the municipality where you intend to live.
- Bring: certified ID copies for every adult in the household, marriage certificate or affidavit of relationship, and payslips or an affidavit if unemployed.
- Complete the C-Form (application for a housing subsidy). The clerk enters your data into the NHNR system on the spot.
- Receive a registration reference number. Write it down — you will need it every time you query your position.
- Update your record annually. Change of address, income, marital status, or family size can affect your priority.
Where to check your position
Municipal Housing office (starting point for every enquiry), the DHS toll-free number 0800 146 873, or the DHS office in your province. Anyone offering to "move you up the list" for a fee is running a scam — no such payment is legal.