The question that directs the discourse in this article is whether an incremental housing process is a viable option to deal with the challenge of housing in South Africa. Its contention is that this process of self-driven housing is, to a very great extent, a viable solution to the housing crisis. It reduces the housing needs of especially those in the rural areas who are unable to secure mortgage bonds because of the complexities of the tenure land security system built on the traditional communal rights, while their income levels disqualify them from benefitting from low-cost free subsidised houses. This argument is based on the findings of the study, Revisiting the incremental housing process as a policy implementation tool for accelerating housing delivery: A study of selected rural areas in South Africa, Sakane Mokgadinyane completed in 2012. The study was designed to create a better understanding of how poor rural households h