Conclusion

The reblocking process is an extremely difficult community based, multi-stakeholder project that has had great success in Mtshini Wam. We have seen the transformation of a ramshackle settlement with no hope of basic service installation into a cleaner and safer organized space. The partnership we were invited into has proven itself extremely capable and willing to meet the demands of informal settlement upgrading.

We believe that the partnership should continue to reblock communities using Mtshini Wam as a model of success at the end of a long, hard road. Mtshini Wam, like every informal settlement, brings its own unique assets and challenges to the process. Having an uncommonly strong leadership and a very motivated community has certainly helped make reblocking a success there.
We feel a greater risk of failure is present in reblocking projects without such leadership and community cohesion.

We encourage partners to support community initiatives to improve community member’s lives when reblocking ends. These projects can range from food security to crime prevention to improving the aesthetics of their community. Such projects

manifest the forward-thinking mindset reblocking appears to promote in community members and partners. By helping community members start their own projects, the partners are channeling the enthusiasm that comes from reblocking into sustainable initiatives that will foster this progressive spirit even when reblocking is over.

Just as our guidebook tools were adapted as often as possible to meet the needs of Mtshini Wam, so too must the process and guidebook be adapted for other projects. With the reblocking partnership keeping up strong communication and a focus on systematic process improvement, we are confident reblocking will become a more streamlined and replicable process even when used in many varying contexts. In conclusion, we support the continuation of multi-stakeholder reblocking in South Africa and hope that our contributions will help make it a sustainable upgrading technique.

Please feel free to continue exploring the outcomes of our project through our Additional Resources for Mtshini Wam page!