Behuisingskemas vir gekleurdes in Pretoria 1900 - 1924.

• Opsomming: Gedurende die republikeinse periode moes Gekleurdes in Pretoria self vir behuising sorg. Dat hierdie situasie tydens die Britse bewind voortgeduur het, kan aan faktore soos ontoereikende fondse, lakse munisipale administrasie en die tydelike aard van die bestuurstelsel gewyt word. Behuisingstoestande vir Gekleurdes was tot 1910 inderdaad uiters swak in weerwil van pogings deur die stadsraad en ander instansies om dit te verbeter. Van 1912 af is aandag gegee aan die oprigting van barakke, hostelle, modelwonings en munisipale huise. Die pogings van die plaaslike owerheid was egter onsuksesvol en daar is teruggekeer na die ou stelsel van selfvoorsiening ten opsigte van Gekleurde-behuising. Met die uitbreek van die Eerste Wêreldoorlog (1914) het die behuisingsnood vererger aangesien groot getalle Swartes hulle in Pretoria gevestig het. Oorbewoning en onderverhuring van bestaande woonhuise was spoedig aan die orde van die dag. Die hoë sterftesyfer onder Gekleurdes gedurende die 1918-griepepidemie was grootliks aan die swak behuising in Pretoria toe te skryf. Na die oorlog het Gekleurdes opnuut by die stadsraad om behuisingshulp aangeklop: kritiek teen die haglike woningtoestande in byvoorbeeld Marabastad het ook al meer opgeklink. 'n Nuwe skema waarvolgens huise opgerig sou word met lenings wat deur die stadsraad aangegaan sou word, is gekortwiek deur die gebrek aan kapitaal wat vir sodanige behuising beskikbaar was. Die stadsraad moes hierdie “modelskema” dus besnoei en in die loop van 1922 is slegs sowat 260 twee- en drievertrekhuise opgerig. Gebrekkige instromingsbeheer het in hierdie stadium tot ʼn groter woningnood gelei en pogings van die stadsraad om akkommodasie aan Gekleurdes in hostelle en kampongs te verskaf, het net gedeeltelike verligting gebring. Na meer as twee dekades waartydens verskeie behuisingskemas op die proef gestel is het die stadsraad van Pretoria nie daarin geslaag om 'n oplossing vir die chroniese probleem van huisvesting vir die Gekleurde bevolking binne sy regsgebied te vind nie.• Summary: During the Republican period Coloured people in Pretoria had to provide their own housing. This situation was perpetuated under British rule owing to factors such as insufficient funds, lax municipal administration, and the temporary nature of the governmental system. Housing conditions for Coloured people were indeed very poor until 1910 despite some effort by the City Council and other organisations to bring about improvement. From 1912 the construction of barracks, hostels, model homes, and municipal houses was undertaken and received special attention. The efforts of the local government were not successful, however, and once again the Coloured people had to provide their own housing. With the outbreak of World War I the housing shortage increased since a growing number of Blacks moved from rural areas to Pretoria. Overcrowding and subletting were rife, and the high mortality among Coloured people during the 1918 influenza epidemic was a result of the poor housing facilities in Pretoria. After the War the Coloured people once again approached the City Council for assistance to build houses; meanwhile the housing standards in Marabastad were once more criticised. A new scheme was introduced. whereby houses were to be erected with loans negotiated by the City Council but the necessary capital for such a scheme was not available. This "model scheme" was consequently carried out on a reduced scale by the Council and in the course of 1922 only some 260 two- and three-bedroomed houses were built. Insufficient influx control at this stage gave rise to an even bigger housing shortage and the Council's efforts to accommodate Coloured people in hostels and compounds only partially alleviated the situation. After two decades – during which several housing schemes were tried – the City Council of Pretoria still could not boast of having successfully solved the chronic housing shortage for Coloureds in the area under its jurisdiction