GGH3704
ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 2 2025
UNIQUE NO. 647835
DUE DATE: 15 SEPTEMBER 2025
, Assignment: Cape Town Urbanisation Action Plan
Introduction
Cape Town’s rapid urbanisation highlights the interplay of apartheid spatial legacies,
population growth, climate vulnerability, and strained infrastructure. The city faces
critical challenges in informal settlement expansion, water scarcity, sewage
management, and governance coordination. The “Day Zero” drought of 2017–2018
underscored how inequality amplifies vulnerability in times of crisis (Enqvist & Ziervogel,
2019). This essay outlines an action plan for Cape Town to achieve sustainable urban
development by 2030, focusing on integrated infrastructure investment, equitable
governance, and community participation.
Causes and Impacts of Urbanisation
Urbanisation in Cape Town has been driven by rural-to-urban migration and regional
migration from across South Africa, combined with historical land dispossession under
apartheid. As a result, large informal settlements such as Khayelitsha, Delft, and
Masiphumelele have expanded rapidly (Turok, 2021). These areas are often located on
peripheral or environmentally hazardous land, lacking access to safe water, sanitation,
and adequate housing.
The 2017–2018 drought highlighted systemic inequalities: formal households consumed
over 65% of water while informal settlements accessed less than 4%, despite
comprising more than 12% of the population (Simpson et al., 2019). Beyond water,
sewage infrastructure failures have polluted key coastal areas such as Milnerton
Lagoon and Clifton beaches, impacting health, ecosystems, and tourism (Pillay, 2025).
Furthermore, insecure land rights and evictions, as seen in the Marikana occupation
case, exacerbate tensions between residents and government authorities (Fieuw,
2020).
ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 2 2025
UNIQUE NO. 647835
DUE DATE: 15 SEPTEMBER 2025
, Assignment: Cape Town Urbanisation Action Plan
Introduction
Cape Town’s rapid urbanisation highlights the interplay of apartheid spatial legacies,
population growth, climate vulnerability, and strained infrastructure. The city faces
critical challenges in informal settlement expansion, water scarcity, sewage
management, and governance coordination. The “Day Zero” drought of 2017–2018
underscored how inequality amplifies vulnerability in times of crisis (Enqvist & Ziervogel,
2019). This essay outlines an action plan for Cape Town to achieve sustainable urban
development by 2030, focusing on integrated infrastructure investment, equitable
governance, and community participation.
Causes and Impacts of Urbanisation
Urbanisation in Cape Town has been driven by rural-to-urban migration and regional
migration from across South Africa, combined with historical land dispossession under
apartheid. As a result, large informal settlements such as Khayelitsha, Delft, and
Masiphumelele have expanded rapidly (Turok, 2021). These areas are often located on
peripheral or environmentally hazardous land, lacking access to safe water, sanitation,
and adequate housing.
The 2017–2018 drought highlighted systemic inequalities: formal households consumed
over 65% of water while informal settlements accessed less than 4%, despite
comprising more than 12% of the population (Simpson et al., 2019). Beyond water,
sewage infrastructure failures have polluted key coastal areas such as Milnerton
Lagoon and Clifton beaches, impacting health, ecosystems, and tourism (Pillay, 2025).
Furthermore, insecure land rights and evictions, as seen in the Marikana occupation
case, exacerbate tensions between residents and government authorities (Fieuw,
2020).
