Social policies have conditioned people to expect they'll get things for free, gratis and nothing - the entitlement culture that's a bane of post-1994 SA. Mandela promise free houses pre-1994. The need may have been there but it was an irresponsible and unrealistic promise to make because which society anywhere at any time has been free of need, and expects government to provide everything? It became policy and the consequences are the Grootboom and Marikana decisions. At the moment beneficiaries receive a serviced dwelling and plot. BNG and self-build options are almost never heard of. Why? Rentals were tried at N2 Gateway Project but after it opened tenants refused to pay, I think R600pm-plus. I don't know what happened later. 
You're being unrealistic or disingenuous saying people must contribute. That's not South African's way re social services. And poverty is still increasing, indicating the current model's broken (see Ivan Turok's recent article in The Conversation).