The Committee emphasized that a major challenge facing the implementation of integrated cities and human settlements was the efficacy of the intergovernmental relations framework. The Committee pointed out the spatial development patterns of many cities in the country reinforced the historical separate development with new human settlement developments being located far away for central business districts. This has led to increased living costs for citizens and in many instances transport costs have risen to constitute a disproportionately large percentage of employee wages. Furthermore, the Committee stated that lack of capacity around coordination and alignment of government programmes continues to remain a significant challenge in the attainment of efficiencies and effectiveness in the implementation of policy priority programmes.