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Understanding Informal Settlements in South Africa: the Waterworks Informal Settlement Profile and Responses ______

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Understanding Informal Settlements in South Africa: the Waterworks Informal Settlement Profile and Responses ______ Understanding informal settlements in South Africa: The Waterworks informal settlement profile and responses _________________________________________________________________________ by Adelaide Nkoane School of Architecture and Planning University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa Supervisor: Dr Sarah Charlton A Research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of the Built Environment in Housing. October 2019 DECLARATION I declare that this Research Report is my own unaided work. It is being submitted for the Degree of Master of the Built Environment in Housing to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination at any other university. _________________________ Signature 29th day of October , 2019 i | P a g e ABSTRACT Understanding the proliferation of informal settlements in South Africa is significant because they have been a feature of our landscape for many years and will continue to be in the future in spite of the attention given to the issue of housing by the government through various housing delivery interventions. Studies have indicated that informal settlements provide shelter for a large number of people who are the poor urban dwellers. There are gaps in literature that demonstrate the distinction between informal settlements within the South African context, despite years of research conducted on informal settlements. The differentiation of informal settlements contests the homogeneity of informal settlements that fall into groupings and sub-categories that require targeted interventions specific to their contexts. The Housing Development Agency (HDA, 2012) “is mandated to assist organs of State with the upgrading of informal settlements”. One of its key activities is to profile informal settlements, particularly in mining towns, in order to understand the data “relating to the number of informal settlements, profile of residents, length of stay, aspirations, income groups, education status” (HDA, 2012:12). Using this set of distinctions, this research aimed to understand the characteristics, dynamics and nature of the Waterworks informal settlement and where it lies within the bigger narrative of informal settlements. It therefore investigated the settlement’s demographics, history, the reason for its existence, how it is understood by its residents, how it is understood in relation to scholarly articles and how it could be understood through government plans. Key words: Housing backlog, Differentiation of informal settlements, Informal settlements groupings and typologies. ii | P a g e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend words of gratitude to everyone who stood by me throughout this research writing journey, with special reference to the following people: To my supervisor, Dr Sarah Charlton. Thank you for always being there to provide input, guidance and words of wisdom. It was not easy, but with you, the load seemed lighter and, more than anything, you helped me to push for greater heights. Secondly, this study would not have been possible without the financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (Living the Urban Periphery Project). Thank you for carrying my financial burdens. Special thanks to Mma le Papa, for all the love, care, support and prayers. You two are the best pair given to me as a gift from God. You have kept me going - Ke a Leboga!!! Thapelo Nkoane – lil bro, you are the next best thing that has ever happened to me. Thank you for the everyday texts and calls of encouragement. They kept me going, day in, day out, until the end. My extended family, bo mmangwane, my cousin Daisy Lebepe and my sweet little nephews and nieces – you have been amazing. All the friends who have been part of this research journey, Rhulani Mabasa, Khakhalomzi Sobuwa, Zawazi Zulu and Prince Malatjie - your support is highly recognised. Above all, the Almighty GOD, Ntate kea leboga. Thank you for making this dream a reality. Thank you for all the love, grace, wisdom and strength to continue in the midst of adversity. Thank you to everyone who believed in me. iii | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... iii LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Background .......................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Problem Statement/Research Rationale .............................................................................. 3 1.4 Aims and objectives of the study .......................................................................................... 3 1.5 Why the Waterworks informal settlement? ........................................................................... 4 1.6 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 5 1.6.1 Main question ................................................................................................................ 5 1.6.2 Sub-questions ............................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................. 6 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Understanding Informal Settlements .................................................................................... 6 2.2.1 Defining Informal Settlements ....................................................................................... 6 2.2.2 Informal Settlement Debates ........................................................................................ 7 2.2.2.1 The genesis of urban informality ................................................................................. 7 2.2.2.2 Concepts interlinked with Informal Settlements .......................................................... 7 2.2.2.3 Informal Settlements as a Global Phenomenon .......................................................... 8 2.2.2.4 The impacts of Living in Informal Settlements ............................................................. 9 2.3 Tenure systems .................................................................................................................. 10 2.4 Lived Experiences in Informal Settlements ......................................................................... 12 2.5 Informal Settlement Interventions ....................................................................................... 13 2.5.1 Informal settlement upgrading policies in South Africa .............................................. 15 2.5.2 The new approach towards upgrading informal settlements ...................................... 16 2.5.2.1 Power relations .......................................................................................................... 19 2.6 The Characterisation of Informal Settlements .................................................................... 20 2.6.1 Settlement location ..................................................................................................... 20 2.6.2 Informal settlement typologies .................................................................................... 22 2.7 Conclusion of literature review ............................................................................................ 25 2.8 Conceptual framework diagram .......................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER 3: ARTICULATING THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............... 27 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Qualitative Research Method.............................................................................................. 27 3.2.1 Interviews .................................................................................................................... 27 3.2.2 Key informants ............................................................................................................ 28 iv | P a g e 3.3 Research Findings analysis ................................................................................................ 28 3.4 Limitation of the research .................................................................................................... 29 3.5 Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................................
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