An Introduction to Informal Settlements

The entrance of an informal settlement (City Mission)

More than 800 million people reside in slums worldwide, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These people often live under the threat of eviction, without permanent housing, sufficient living space, or access to clean water. In South Africa, decades of legal and social inequity have led to a large population living in informal slums in and around urban areas. Apartheid legislation forced non-whites from urban centres into underdeveloped townships, whose severe lack of housing forced many to build their own improvised shacks. A dependence on urban areas for jobs also contributed to the growth of slums, as the non-whites forced out of the city flocked back to overpopulated areas to find work.

These slums contain a variety of issues – shack organization, utility services, and social services. The first type of issues are related to the location of shacks within a settlement. Oftentimes, when travelling through a settlement, shacks are built at inconsistent intervals, some crowded, some spaced apart. Most roads are consequently irregular and often do not have space for a car. This makes emergency vehicle transportation through the settlements difficult or impossible, preventing emergency services from reaching the settlements. The shacks themselves are made from a variety of low cost, or discarded material – usually wood, zinc, or plastic. The heavy use of wood and crowding of settlements creates an extreme fire risk for most settlements. In terms of services, most settlements lack or have limited access to water, electricity, and sanitation. Beyond the physical settlement are the social issues. Most settlements lack legal representation, schooling, and community spaces like gardens or parks.

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