Question NW1504 to the Minister of Human Settlements

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24 May 2022 - NW1504

Profile picture: Jacobs, Mr F

Jacobs, Mr F to ask the Minister of Human Settlements

(1) Given the recent fires in Joe Slovo informal settlements in Langa, which is an annual occurrence over the past 10 years in the City of Cape Town, what total number of informal settlements are recorded in the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality; (2) what steps has her department taken to upgrade informal settlements in the past 10 years; (3) whether her department allocated any monies for the upgrade of informal settlements in the City of Cape Town in the past 10 years; if not, why not; if so, what is the (a) reason that the settlements have not been upgraded and (b) plan of her department to deal with the crisis of informal settlements and backyard dwellers in Cape Town?

Reply:

1. The total number of Informal Settlements:

TYPES - AREAS OF INFORMALITY

SETTLEMENTS

STRUCTURES

Backyarder Settlement

31

1 419

Informal Settlement

497

201 151

IDA/TRA/ Re-blocked

33

12 361

Rental Stock Settlements

71

9 478

Small Farmers/ Rural Settlement

17

2 863

New settlements (i.e. Land invasions March 2020 to October 2021)

186

59 192

TOTAL

835

286 464

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:

FINANCIAL YEAR

BUDGET

2021/22

R316 521 045

2020/21

R242 535 817

2019/20

R204 423 506

2018/19

R159 409 166

2017/18

R194 899 707

2016/17

R117 546 392

2015/16

R58 600 165

2014/15

R85 917 567

2013/14

R97 658 338

2012/13

R27 654 000

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.

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