Abstract

Urbanisation is one of the key challenges of this decade with 68% of the global population likely to be living in urban areas by 2050. This challenge is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa where future towns and cities will see an influx of residents living in spontaneous human settlements. As cities struggle to keep up with the speed of growth and spread of informal settlements, associated environmental challenges such as air and water pollution and waste management have been significantly increasing posing a health risk in high density settings. Using the case of Havelock informal settlement in Durban, the authors identified key challenges associated with poor environmental conditions, lack of basic infrastructure, and the implications for settlement upgrading. The study uses mixed methods combining transect walks, priority mapping, seasonal calendar, focus group discussions and household interviews to explore the households' most challenging environmental issues faced daily by informal dwellers. This paper seeks to make the case for targeted participatory environmental infrastructure and management delivery in urban settlements in South Africa. The research also highlights the value of adopting a holistic approach to infrastructure provision to effectively enhance the living conditions of communities. Targeted participatory processes are vital to ensure that holistic infrastructure interventions are acceptable, appropriate and embedded in local communities to create sustainable habitats.

Highlights

  • Urbanisation is one of the key challenges of the 21st century with 68% of the global population likely to be living in urban areas by 2050 [1]

  • This paper seeks to make the case for targeted participatory environmental infrastructure and management delivery in urban settlements in South Africa using the case study of partially serviced Havelock informal settlement

  • The shift from Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP) to the Breaking New Ground (BNG) policies aided the establishment of human settlements that could grow into sustainable nodes for development

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Summary

Introduction

Urbanisation is one of the key challenges of the 21st century with 68% of the global population likely to be living in urban areas by 2050 [1]. As a consequence of rapid urbanisation and population growth, informal settlements form a major part of the urban landscape globally. The housing terrain in South Africa has been one of separate development, based on racial grounds [12]. Some other key housing policies are the White Paper on Housing (1994) and the Breaking New Ground (BNG): a Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements (2004). The shift from RDP to the BNG policies aided the establishment of human settlements that could grow into sustainable nodes for development

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