INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS:
THE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING PLANNED
URBAN RESIDENTAL AREAS
BY ALYSHA GURNELL
CURRO HAZELDEAN
GEOGRAPHY RESEARCH PROJECT 2019
,What effects do informal settlements have on their
surrounding urban areas?
Informal settlements are unplanned residential areas established What is RDP housing
by individuals or families due the unavailability of affordable and CRU?
housing and lack of employment opportunities, as a result of
Reconstruction and
poor economics. Informal housing is constructed out of waste Development
material such as corrugated iron, wood and currently increasing Programme (RDP) is a
in popularity, concrete and plastic bottles. It is often alleged that South African socio-
economic policy
building materials are stolen from planned urban settlements
framework implemented
surrounding the informal settlement. by the African National
Congress (ANC), that
Urban settlements near informal settlements are often allows for low income
comparatively cheaper than urban settlements near city centres households, households
and those in the rural-urban fringe. Urban settlements are more with a combine income
lower the R3500, the
likely to experience protest action in their communities due to
opportunity to own a
inequality in housing standards. For this reason, it is likely that, house. RDP housing is
informal settlements near planned urban settlements are more own and can only be
than likely to be upgraded through the Reconstruction and sold after being a
Development Programme (RDP housing) or to be formalised by resident for more the 8
years.
government. This is achieved by government providing an
access point for running water and ensuring that young children Community Residential
have access to education and health care. The government has Units and Housing
Programme (CRU) is a
also over the past 4 years began to implement Community
housing programme at
Residential Units and Housing Programme (CRU), which has aims at households who
brought low income households into high income business areas earn less than R3,500
per month. CRU housing
Informal settlements inside and outside urban areas has driven units are for rent and
tourism further from the city centre as tourist feel safer the not for sale. This project
further, they are from the informal settlements. Stigmas is aimed at refurbishing
inner city buildings and
associated with low income settlements: being that there are hostels. The municipality
high crimes rates, rape and murder. The government has tried will charge you rent to
to disguise the informal settlements by building RDP housing in cover the municipal
between the two settlements, an example is Strand and rates of the house.
Nomzamo in Somerset West in the Province of the Western
Cape.
Areas that experience the division of planned and unplanned
residence are:
1
,Bloubosrand and Kya Sands
Figure 1: Bloubosrand and Kya Sands- {https://unequalscenes.com/kya-sandsbloubosrand}
Alexandra and Sandton
Figure 2: Alexandra and Sandton {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Strand and Nomzamo
Figure 3:Strand and Nomzamo {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Hout bay and Imizamo Yethu
2
,Figure 4: Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Hypothesis:
Planned urban areas next to or nearby informal settlements will have less tourism
and cheaper housing, they may experience pollution and more frequent fire
disasters due to informal settlements’ cooking methods, such as the incident that
occurred in Alexandra and Sandton City in December 2018. Although residents of the
urban area will have access to medical care, they may become sick more often due
to informal settlements living conditions causing those residents to obtain disease
via contamination, this is mainly when the two settlements are divided by a stream
or river. Households living in these informal settlements are likely to have a job
within the urban area they are close to, due to convenience convivence and
accessibility of daily commute.
Urban residents may find themselves in a position of having to deal with the
aftermath of criminal active such as petty theft or more serious offences such as
armed robbery or causes leading to injury or death. This is indicated again in
Sandton due to the civil unrest that Alexandra residents have continuously brought
up over the current year of 2019. Protests, petitions and forced removal of Informal
settlements will not solve the issues of the settlements impact but will rather cause
more damage to the urban area as the residents of the informal settlement will be
forced to move into the urban areas causing congestion and urban decay may occur
on the outskirts. Forced removal and protests may also result in strikes and acts of
violence as the two settlements go to war with one another. The government will
provide basic services, electricity and water, to the informal settlements as a way of
formalising the township, which in turn will aim to decrease theft and water borne
diseases in the shared rivers and streams. The government’s housing programmes
have had success in decreasing the size of informal settlements and has provided to
more and more citizens annually, however, these citizens have illegally rented out
their homes to generate income.
3
, Objectives:
The main objective is to measure the physical and social damage as well as the
impact that informal settlements have on the urban areas that surround them.
Another objective is to determine if informal settlements basic needs are met in
comparison to that in the opposing urban area. It will also indicate if there are any
shared functions and activities s between the urban and informal settlements. This
will be achieved through researching examples of an urban settlement and informal
situated near one another, the main areas being Alexandra and Sandton as well as
Bloubosrand and Kya Sands, all four areas found in Johannesburg.
Research methods:
The first research method is to visit the areas mainly Bloubosrand and Kya Sands
due to convenience. Secondly, I will establish a questionnaire that will show the how
much money is spent to buy property closer and further away from informal
settlements, whether or not living near to an informal settlement can be seen as a
risk and if people are willing to live in these areas. The survey will determine if there
are more reported causes of illness within these areas. Thirdly a research study will
be conducted to measure the impact on the environment done by studying
orthographic photos and visiting the area of Bloubosrand. Research will also be done
through internet articles and Orthographic photos to indicate why informal
settlements are established in specific regions.
4
THE IMPACT ON SURROUNDING PLANNED
URBAN RESIDENTAL AREAS
BY ALYSHA GURNELL
CURRO HAZELDEAN
GEOGRAPHY RESEARCH PROJECT 2019
,What effects do informal settlements have on their
surrounding urban areas?
Informal settlements are unplanned residential areas established What is RDP housing
by individuals or families due the unavailability of affordable and CRU?
housing and lack of employment opportunities, as a result of
Reconstruction and
poor economics. Informal housing is constructed out of waste Development
material such as corrugated iron, wood and currently increasing Programme (RDP) is a
in popularity, concrete and plastic bottles. It is often alleged that South African socio-
economic policy
building materials are stolen from planned urban settlements
framework implemented
surrounding the informal settlement. by the African National
Congress (ANC), that
Urban settlements near informal settlements are often allows for low income
comparatively cheaper than urban settlements near city centres households, households
and those in the rural-urban fringe. Urban settlements are more with a combine income
lower the R3500, the
likely to experience protest action in their communities due to
opportunity to own a
inequality in housing standards. For this reason, it is likely that, house. RDP housing is
informal settlements near planned urban settlements are more own and can only be
than likely to be upgraded through the Reconstruction and sold after being a
Development Programme (RDP housing) or to be formalised by resident for more the 8
years.
government. This is achieved by government providing an
access point for running water and ensuring that young children Community Residential
have access to education and health care. The government has Units and Housing
Programme (CRU) is a
also over the past 4 years began to implement Community
housing programme at
Residential Units and Housing Programme (CRU), which has aims at households who
brought low income households into high income business areas earn less than R3,500
per month. CRU housing
Informal settlements inside and outside urban areas has driven units are for rent and
tourism further from the city centre as tourist feel safer the not for sale. This project
further, they are from the informal settlements. Stigmas is aimed at refurbishing
inner city buildings and
associated with low income settlements: being that there are hostels. The municipality
high crimes rates, rape and murder. The government has tried will charge you rent to
to disguise the informal settlements by building RDP housing in cover the municipal
between the two settlements, an example is Strand and rates of the house.
Nomzamo in Somerset West in the Province of the Western
Cape.
Areas that experience the division of planned and unplanned
residence are:
1
,Bloubosrand and Kya Sands
Figure 1: Bloubosrand and Kya Sands- {https://unequalscenes.com/kya-sandsbloubosrand}
Alexandra and Sandton
Figure 2: Alexandra and Sandton {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Strand and Nomzamo
Figure 3:Strand and Nomzamo {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Hout bay and Imizamo Yethu
2
,Figure 4: Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu {https://mymodernmet.com/johnny-miller-unequal-scenes/}
Hypothesis:
Planned urban areas next to or nearby informal settlements will have less tourism
and cheaper housing, they may experience pollution and more frequent fire
disasters due to informal settlements’ cooking methods, such as the incident that
occurred in Alexandra and Sandton City in December 2018. Although residents of the
urban area will have access to medical care, they may become sick more often due
to informal settlements living conditions causing those residents to obtain disease
via contamination, this is mainly when the two settlements are divided by a stream
or river. Households living in these informal settlements are likely to have a job
within the urban area they are close to, due to convenience convivence and
accessibility of daily commute.
Urban residents may find themselves in a position of having to deal with the
aftermath of criminal active such as petty theft or more serious offences such as
armed robbery or causes leading to injury or death. This is indicated again in
Sandton due to the civil unrest that Alexandra residents have continuously brought
up over the current year of 2019. Protests, petitions and forced removal of Informal
settlements will not solve the issues of the settlements impact but will rather cause
more damage to the urban area as the residents of the informal settlement will be
forced to move into the urban areas causing congestion and urban decay may occur
on the outskirts. Forced removal and protests may also result in strikes and acts of
violence as the two settlements go to war with one another. The government will
provide basic services, electricity and water, to the informal settlements as a way of
formalising the township, which in turn will aim to decrease theft and water borne
diseases in the shared rivers and streams. The government’s housing programmes
have had success in decreasing the size of informal settlements and has provided to
more and more citizens annually, however, these citizens have illegally rented out
their homes to generate income.
3
, Objectives:
The main objective is to measure the physical and social damage as well as the
impact that informal settlements have on the urban areas that surround them.
Another objective is to determine if informal settlements basic needs are met in
comparison to that in the opposing urban area. It will also indicate if there are any
shared functions and activities s between the urban and informal settlements. This
will be achieved through researching examples of an urban settlement and informal
situated near one another, the main areas being Alexandra and Sandton as well as
Bloubosrand and Kya Sands, all four areas found in Johannesburg.
Research methods:
The first research method is to visit the areas mainly Bloubosrand and Kya Sands
due to convenience. Secondly, I will establish a questionnaire that will show the how
much money is spent to buy property closer and further away from informal
settlements, whether or not living near to an informal settlement can be seen as a
risk and if people are willing to live in these areas. The survey will determine if there
are more reported causes of illness within these areas. Thirdly a research study will
be conducted to measure the impact on the environment done by studying
orthographic photos and visiting the area of Bloubosrand. Research will also be done
through internet articles and Orthographic photos to indicate why informal
settlements are established in specific regions.
4
