Sleepers Beside Tracks: Housing in South Africa’s State Railway Corporation, 1910–1980

Abstract

For over 70 years the South African state railway corporation has provided employee accommodation nationwide. The nature and evolution of Railway housing assistance is sketched against the background of a widespread housing crisis and in light of literature on state intervention in housing. A d hoc housing assistance preceded the sporadic emergence of diverse housing programmes, including rent rebates. hostel and township ‘construction and homeownership loans. Systematic housing assistance was developed in response to prevailing crises and shows a switch from Railways’ role as constructor to that of financier. Housing initiatives have been overlaid by racial discrimination, being directed to worker control and compensation for private market ‘failure’.

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