1. The extent of the population living in informal settlements in South Africa
According to a report issued by the Human Settlements South Africa Forum, the number of informal settlements in South Africa has doubled in the last 10 years. (Human Settlements SA, 01/08/2010.)
In 2001 the number of informal settlements - also known as shanty towns and spontaneous settlements - amounted to a total of 1 066 nationally. At the time of this report in 2010, this number has grown to approximately 2 628.
Only 721 of the above-mentioned “legal” informal settlements have been identified by government to be upgraded and formalised into townships with basic services such as road infrastructures, supply of water, sanitation and electricity.
Illegal settlements are not included in the figures mentioned above. Taking these into account the number of informal settlements could be as high as 2 700, according to Mr Chris Vick of the National Department of Human Settlement.
According to the study by Human Settlements SA, the highest number of informal settlements occurs in Gauteng where 84 new settlements brought the total in this area to 489. Approximately 200 000 households in Johannesburg - which amounts to 25% of its citizens - live in informal settlements.
Research done in 2002 by Mark Napier and Margot Rubin of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) into “Managing Environmental and Disaster Risks Affecting Informal Settlements” revealed the following statistics on informal housing in the metropolitan area:
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1.1 Statistics
According to Napier and Rubin, the following statistics from SA Census highlight the level of risk to this part of the population and the importance of disaster risk management in informal settlements:
· Our total population of 44 million people is more or less divided equally between urban and rural areas, with 54% living in urban and 46% in rural areas.
· As the graph shows, between 20% and 30% of the population in larger metropolitan areas of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban live in some form of informal settlement.
· The poorest 40% of households in South Africa receive only 11% of total income. This group forms 50% of our population.
· 16% of households live in freestanding informal settlements and in shacks in the back yards of formal houses – normally in a township.
· 70% of households have access to electricity.
· Of this amount, only 53% uses electricity for cooking and 48% for heating. (The high cost of electricity prevents the poor from using electricity for cooking and heating and they rather choose a less expensive source of energy such as parafine).
1.2 Main causes of the development of informal settlements:
· Poverty
· A shortage of formal housing
· Some individuals who work in the city chooses to live in a shack during the week, returning to their rural ancestral homes over weekends
· The informality of shanty towns offer anonymity and relative safety to illegal immigrants
· It offers a temporary solution to job seekers who move closer to cities from rural areas
· To young people from rural areas who are attracted to the city life this offers an affordable method of accommodation
1.3 Conclusion
Where discussions around inhabitants of informal settlements initially revolved around the environmental health aspects, it is interesting to note that environmental hazards and disaster risk management have also become topics for research.
For the purpose of this paper, the question arises what effect environmental hazards, specifically fires in informal settlements, have on the long term development for these areas, and also how these plans can be applied to strengthen the socio-economic position of its inhabitants.
2. A specific overview of the Mamelodi Township and surrounding informal settlements situated East of Mamelodi
As a result of the Group Areas Act, Black people were removed from Pretoria in 1953 and relocated to an area 20 km East of Pretoria. This started the formation of a formal township which was called Mamelodi and it was started with only 16 houses. Today, nearly 15 years later, the unofficial total population of the formal Mamelodi Township amounts to nearly 1 million people.
Due to poverty and a shortage of formal housing and services to the poor, informal settlements have mushroomed towards the East of Mamelodi. To mention some of the larger areas and their estimated population:
· Lusaka (… people)
· Pienaars Poort (… people)
· Mahube Valley (… people)
· Stoffel Park (… people)
· Maraba Stad (… people)
· Extention 6 (… people)
· Phomolong (… people)
· Staza Bopape (… people)
· Mandela (… people)
Despite the size of the informal settlement, there are no municipal offices in this area and residents have to travel to the western part of the township to access council services.
In an interview with Mandla Masina and Simon Rashaya, both Fire Safety Officers at the Pretoria Fire Station, it was also established that Mamelodi - which covers an area of approximately 100km² - does not have its own Fire Station or emergency services. They confirmed that the Silverton facility was the nearest fire station to Mamelodi and therefore responsible for fire safety, fire fighting and rescue services in that area. More about this later in this document.
Research by Napier and Rubin of the CSIR confirms that there is a link between hazards (such as floods and fire) and the vulnerability of settlements. This is mainly due to the fact that informal settlements mostly shoot up on land which is not suitable or identified for development, i.e. inaccessible, on slopes, no long term planning of infrastructure. In a sense it can be argued that informal settlements attract disaster.
Research in progress:
1) Interview with Danny Machika at the City of Tswane
2) Complete questionnaire
3) Insert map of area
3. A study of current fire safety structures serving the informal settlements East of Mamelodi
An interview with Jas Kruger of the Silverton Fire Station confirmed that Silverton serves as the main fire station responsible for fire safety, fire fighting and rescue services in the whole of the Mamelodi area. They pride themselves on a total attendance time of 23 minutes when called out to attend to fire in this area. This is split into 3 minutes from time of call and leaving the station and 20 minutes travelling time to the fire.
Research in progress:
1) Interview with Johan Pieterse (Head of Pretoria Fire Brigade)
2) Complete questionnaire
3) Guided tour of township with Mr Jas Kruger of Silverton Fire Brigade
4) Photos of access roads, water points, dangerous electrical connections,
use of paraffin stoves for cooking
5) Photo’s of fire fighting vehicles used in areas with limited access
4. Identification of strategies to minimize fire risk in informal settlements and to improve the success rate of containing fires in these areas
Research in progress:
- Fire Regulations
- Tshwane Emergency Management Services / SA Emergency Services Institute
- Identification of causes of fires (candles, stoves, illegal connections etc)
- Minimise risk through awareness programs, education and training of communities/inhabitants of informal settlements
- Proposed multi-purpose fire station – incorporating fire fighting facilities and equipment, small scale first aid / burn treatment facility, training venue, gym / fitness area, rest room with ablution and kitchen facilities for staff
5. Picking the fruits of success - The envisaged impact on the community
Research in progress:
- Job creation
- Poverty relief
- Education and training of community
- Improved morale / pride in self
- Improved health and safety services
6. References
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