The development of informal settlements in South Africa, with particular reference to informal settlements around Daveyton on the East Rand, 1970-1999

D.Litt. et Phil.The purpose of the study is to analyse the development of informal settlements in South Africa, with particular reference to the role of the Government in the improvement of informal settlement conditions around Daveyton, especially at the Etwatwa informal settlement. Research has shown that there is common experience in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America in as far as the development of squatter settlements or informal settlements are concerned. This strongly reflects on the South African experience. The common feature and experience is that informal settlements are the result of urbanization, which is a world-wide phenomenon. Research in countries has shown that migration to cities is based on people's expectation of a better quality of life in urban areas. The expectations lead people to migrate even when they know that they will be unemployed and would have to live in squatter areas for some time. The decision to migrate is based among other reasons on rational economic grounds. It depended on migration cost, the perceptions and prospects of finding a job, and wage differentials between urban and rural areas. Urban incomes were practically always higher than rural ones and migrants to cities generally seemed to do relatively well in acquiring jobs and improving their standard of living. Most of these activities are performed in informal settlements. Like in all developing countries, South Africa is no exception when it comes to the origin and development of squatter or informal settlements. The most common reasons are that people in their quest for a better life in urban areas end up living in informal settlements because they cannot find suitable accommodation. The rapid population growth in developing countries, for example in countries such as South Africa, has resulted in huge housing backlogs. This led to the mushrooming of informal settlements around cities, towns and townships, of people waiting for adequate housing for their families. In Daveyton specifically, the housing backlog in the late 1970s resulted in the emergence of backyard shacks, erected by people who were either residents of Daveyton, because of natural increase of the population, or people from neighbouring townships or rural areas. The study of Daveyton has showed that because of forceful invasion of land by people who did not have accommodation, Daveyton experienced a mushrooming of informal settlements from 1987. In 1987 the Daveyton City Council accepted in principle that squatting was a legitimate means for homeless people to provide shelter for their families and therefore established a site-and-service scheme at Etwatwa, a new section of the township, to accommodate the homeless and lower income families. For service provision the local government divided Etwatwa into two sections, Etwatwa West and Etwatwa East. Every household at Etwatwa West was provided with water and sewerage services, but at Etwatwa East only rudimentary services were provided. With the passage of time the local government tried to integrate the inhabitants of Etwatwa into an urban environment, through the provision of essential service such as water, roads, electricity and sewerage, and amenities such as community and social centres, recreational facilities, creches, schools, churches and clinics. The provision of services depend largely on the availability of funds, through rent payments, loans and funds allocated by the Provincial and National Governments