| The more recent formal and informal
settlements situated on the Cape Flats contain few social and economic opportunities and
are overcrowded. Whereas predominately coloured settlements were designed as dormitory
towns in the 1970s and 1980s, site-and-service township development began in the late
1980s in response to an increase in the black population. Large housing backlogs and the lack of financial resources of
recently urbanised people contributed to a growth in un-serviced informal settlements in
the CMA. As shown in Table 2, although only 11% of the population
in the CMA lived in informal housing in 1995, the majority of these residents were black.
Significant in situ upgrading of informal settlements is taking place.
Approximately three quarters of the shacks in Khayelitsha were serviced by 1995 (CMC,
1995).
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| Contents of CONTEXTUAL INFO on
Settlement Patterns: |
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| Figure
3: |
| The discrepancy
between work and residence |
| NOTE: This figure
illustrates the inefficiency of the CMR as a result of the discrepancy between work and
residence. Substantial subsidies and investment in road infrastructure to accommodate the
reliance on private transportation are already operational. In the short- and long- term
this trend is unsustainable and unaffordable. |
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| Housing |
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| In 1995, the CMA had the largest core of formal housing of all the
metropolitan areas in South Africa (see Table 1). The housing
backlog in the CMA is however severe and continues to grow. Areas of concern include the
relatively high proportion of hostels and shacks. |
Table 1 |
Types of
dwellings in the CMA compared to other metropolitan areas and nationally |
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| TYPE
OF ACCOMMODATION |
DURBAN METRO |
JHB METRO |
CMA |
SOUTH AFRICA |
| Formal house |
68.7 |
71.7 |
75.1 |
64.9 |
| Traditional hut |
4.0 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
15.3 |
| Flat in block of
flats |
8.3 |
9.3 |
8.0 |
3.0 |
| Backyard house or
room |
2.5 |
10.6 |
2.1 |
5.2 |
| Backyard shack |
2.2 |
1.4 |
0.6 |
2.2 |
| Shack in shack
settlement |
11.5 |
3.9 |
9.9 |
4.6 |
| Hostel |
2.6 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
4.5 |
| Other |
0.2 |
0.3 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
| Total |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
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| NOTE:
Unweighted data from the 1995 October Household Survey |
(Source: Central
Statistical Services, 1996) |
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| TYPE
OF ACCOMMODATION |
AFRICAN |
COLOURED |
INDIAN |
WHITE |
ALL RACES |
| Formal house |
25 |
82 |
94 |
87 |
74 |
| Traditional hut |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Flat in block of
flats |
0 |
11 |
4 |
10 |
8 |
| Backyard house or
room |
6 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| Backyard shack |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Shack in shack
settlement |
49 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
| Hostel |
15 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Total |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
| NOTE:
Weighted analysis of the 1995 October Household Survey |
(Source: Central
Statistical Services, 1996 as cited in CMC, 1999a)
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| Formal housing |
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| Although there are differences in the various estimates of current
backlogs and future housing needs, all indicate that there is a major gap between supply
of houses and the demand for houses, particularly for the lowest income groups. According
to the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape, the total backlog of housing in the
Cape Metropolitan Region in 1996 amounted to approximately 134 000 dwelling units, the
majority being found in the CMA. Housing demand in the CMA and surrounding districts is
expected to further increase due to natural population growth and in-migration. It is
estimated that the total housing demand by the year 2005 would be in the order of 345 000
housing units. In addition, considering that 80% of the CMA population currently earns
under R2500 per month (CSS, 1996), it is estimated that 189 414 families will be unable to
house themselves in the year 2005 and will therefore need state subsidisation (CMC, 1998). Housing backlogs have yet to be significantly
reduced by housing delivery systems. The current systems lack flexibility to address the
differing needs of the poor communities. For example, not all households can afford home
ownership, and for some people rental may be more convenient due to their high mobility
within the CMA. In addition, R2 500 per month is the cut-off point for households to
qualify for the housing delivery scheme, irrespective of household size. Thus many
families who may be earning above this amount but are not able to afford a house are not
eligible for the state-subsidised schemes (CMC, 1998). |
| Informal housing |
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| Recent estimates indicate that the levels of informal settlements in the
CMA are increasing. Between 1993 and 1996, the absolute numbers of families squatting has
doubled. Over 86 000 people in the CMA live in shacks that do not have access to basic
services crucial to public health (CMC, 1995). These residents do not have access to
water, sanitation services and refuse removal, and are dependent on neighbours for
amenities. Figure 4 shows the proportion of population of local
councils of the CMA living in informal settlements. |
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Figure 4: Proportion
of population of local councils of the CMA living in informal settlements (Source:
Eva, 1998)
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