2022-w1504 - 24 May 2022

1. The total number of Informal Settlements:

The data is collected form aerial photography or drone footage with individual structure counts, physical surveys in some instances and solid waste door to door survey information. Data is updated on an annual basis.

2. The analysis of each settlement resulted in the most likely development pathway for that specific settlement. The steps taken can be one of the following options:

Basic Access Improvement: Rolling out of basic access frameworks (i.e. improved roads & pedestrian movement) as part of the basic service package to informal settlements.

De-densification: Settlements which will be required to be de-densified prior to any in-situ (UISP or Superblock) development can be implemented. Basic services provided in interim.

Superblock: Provide formal access roads with formal services infrastructure but no individual serviced sites and only shared services – no or minimal relocation initially required. Settlement is suitable for a superblock approach which can comprise of residential blocks of approximately 90m x 30m with the provision of shared water (1:25 ratio) and sanitation (1:5 ratio), door-to-door waste collection and individual electrification. All roads, storm water and pedestrian access ways to be developed to an “A-Grade” standard.

UISP: Provide every household in informal settlement with own individual serviced site when upgrading to formality – no top structures provided and no or limited relocation required. Settlements which will be developed as a UISP type of project with individual erven with each erf having its own water and sanitation points (1:1 ratio), waste collection, formal roads, storm water management and electrification.

Re-blocked & Enhanced Re-blocking: Settlements which can potentially be Re-blocked where it meets the density and settlement size criteria. Those settlements where the city has established and confirmed the interest and willingness from the community to participate and support a re-blocking type of project.

Managed Settlement Programme: Greenfield site prepared for rapid occupation with shared services initially but with potential to upgrade to individual serviced sites over time & owner construction of top structure.

Total Relocation: Certain settlements will be required to be relocated in totality due to various factors such as location in areas prone to flooding, under power lines in road reserves and located on landfill sites. The locational risk factors of the settlement require relocation to a safer environment. Basic services is provided in interim.

3. Yes, the following budget allocations were received for the upgrading of informal settlements:

a) The funding received for the upgrading of informal settlements were utilised for settlements where planning approvals were obtained, de-densification could be achieved for in-situ upgrading as per the UISP approach. Not all settlements are suitable for upgrading and a vast number is inappropriately located e.g. in rail reserve, over bulk infrastructure line, under ESKOM power lines or in flood prone locations. These types of settlements will need to be relocated in totality. The other factor is to find well located land suitable for residential development which is not necessarily located on the outskirts of the city far away from any job opportunity of social facility.

b) The growth in informality is part of the urbanisation process taking place across all urban centres in the country. The growth in the demand for housing in the City of Cape Town outstrip the production of housing opportunities by the city, province and the private sector. Lastly the negative economic conditions, such as the increase in job losses under Covid 19 the country has been experiencing has led to more people not being in a position to pay rent for formal or informal locations and thus resulting in growth of informal settlements.