The mushrooming of informal settlements, especially in Gauteng, should be a concern for all citizens. Estimates reveal that there are at least 1,000 informal settlements in the province.
There are 502 in Tshwane and 352 in Johannesburg. Authorities cannot keep up as settlements pop up in urban centers. In most cases, people move into pieces of land not earmarked for residential property. These are areas with no infrastructure for services such as sanitation, water and electricity.
The lack of such services creates a health hazard for the families. With no ablution facilities, these families live under hygienic conditions. The shacks are also susceptible to fires as families use flammable liquids to cook and keep warm.
These settlements also place pressure on the government to provide these families not just with services, but with proper housing if they qualify for RDP housing. The desperate poor people who resort to living in such conditions are not to blame. The blame should be placed squarely on the government.
Firstly, for failing to reverse the damage done by the apartheid spatial planning, which moved black people away from places of work. There has been attempts at establishing mixed developments in areas considered upmarket, but this is not happening at a pace that is required.
Secondly, the government should deal decisively with the syndicates that illegally sell land that does not belong to them. If these criminals are not caught, the situation will get worse. Most of the people who occupy these settlements are migrants who come to big cities in search of jobs.
These are the people who leave their home provinces because of the lack of opportunities. The government should come up with interventions to create an environment that allows citizens to participate in economic activities where they stay. Lastly, there is an urgent need to protect our borders.
A huge number of people who invade land unsuitable for residential development are illegal foreigners. Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has promised to demolish illegal shacks. However, the government needs to be proactive in dealing with the problem.
While the SAPS should move with speed in dismantling and arresting the syndicate that is moving around illegally selling land, there must be a comprehensive strategy to deal with migration and the integration of people in places where there are work opportunities.
The housing challenge is real. Some citizens are desperate to put a roof over their heads. It’s a problem that requires urgent attention before our cities turn into shanty towns.
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