Table 28 MTSF Targets
4.2.10.1 LEVEL 2 UPGRADING CHALLENGES
• High densities prevalent in informal settlements;
• The need to de-densify the settlements, but also the requirement to relocate households to alternative and suitable greenfield land;
• In the context of achieving the densification objective in the Integration Zone, de-densification and providing individual households with an individual erf/stand goes against the achievement of this objective;
• This will be further compounded by the need to acquire land whereas the incremental services programme does not warrant the acquisition of land at this stage;
• The steep topography as well as the need to acquire land from private owners are further constraints to undertaking Level 2; and
• The policy of eThekwini Water & Sanitation is to provide individual connections to stands/units only when
4.2.11 BUDGET OPTIMISATION FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
From the above chapters on human settlements it is clear that there are a number of human settlement programmes with well-developed project pipelines. These programmes often compete for the same funding sources. Funding is limited and insufficient to match national delivery targets. There is a drive to spatially transform eThekwini which requires prioritising certain programmes over others and prioritising well-located projects within those programmes.
To achieve an optimal mix of programmes and projects within the available budget envelope requires an optimisation exercise to be undertaken.
4.2.12 NODES OF HIGHER ORDER SOCIAL FACILITIES AND LOCAL SOCIAL FACILITIES
Social facilities provide an important service to communities and the provision of these facilities is integral to the response to marginalized areas in eThekwini. eThekwini has an adopted set of social facility standards and social facility nodes. The geographic location of both local and national social facility backlogs has been determined and an integrated intervention plan has been developed to eliminate these backlogs. Many facilities are provided by national and provincial departments and this is part of the IGR engagement process documented in Part C of the BEPP. The priority from a BEPP perspective would be to prioritise all facilities (municipal, provincial and national) that respond to the roll-out of both human settlement programmes and the IPTN. This will contribute to an integrated response that builds quality living environments as espoused in the eThekwini IDP.
4.2.13 ADJUSTMENTS TO OTHER SPATIAL TARGETING INSTRUMENTS
PRIORITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AREA (PHDA)
Cornubia is a designated PHDA. Cornubia North, Umlazi Regeneration, Bridge City KTC, Inner City, and Amaoti have also been included as designated PHDA’s. It must be reiterated that in due course the land parcels recently offered to eTHekwini Municipality are located within the (northern region) of the city’s PHDA.
SOCIAL HOUSING RESTRUCTURING ZONE (SHRZ)
eThekwini has numerous SHRZs. They were designated in two Phases several years apart. All of the existing SHRZ’s fall within the Urban Zone, except Chatsworth, which is in the Suburban Zone. A SHRZ has been proposed to National Human Settlements, to cover the whole of the Urban Zone. The rationale is that this Zone, as the site of most intensive capital investments, and as the preferred location for residential densification, as well as a preferred site for rental accommodation, should be afforded every opportunity to bring in the necessary investment.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT ZONE (UDZ)
The greater part of the Durban CBD is a UDZ. Because the Durban CBD Is wholly contained within the eThekwini Integration Zone, no adjustment to the spatial definition of the UDZ is needed.
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE (SEZ)
The Dube Trade Port has been designated as a SEZ. Its status as an SEZ is intended to stimulate economic investment and trade.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE (IDZ)
eThekwini does not have an IDZ. It appears unlikely that government will support new IDZ’s, and instead is likely to consider converting existing IDZ’s to SEZ’s. Consequently, no IDZ is proposed for eThekwini.
ALIGNMENT TO SDF AND LAND USE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LUMS)
One of the principles for the definition of the Prime Investment Corridor is that its geographic extent should be based on intensifying and prioritising already intense and-or approved economic, mixed, and intense residential land uses as described in the SDF, Sub-metropolitan Spatial Development Plans (SDP’s), and LUMS.
This principle has been applied, to the SDF, but SDP’s and LUMS have not yet been reviewed for their alignment. The assumption that the Prime Investment Corridor accurately and comprehensively interprets the other planning instruments has not been deeply tested. With the increase in the number of formal and informal structures and settlements becoming victims of storms and floods there has been a tendency to find emergency alternative land parcels. Often though, these parcels do not align within the integration zones.
Work to be undertaken in 2019/20 includes:
• The sideways integration of Sector Plans to each other;
• The upward integration of sector Plans into the IDP, SDF, SDP’s and BEPP; and
• Detailed Investigations of the boundary of the eThekwini Integration Zone with the IPTN routes and with the package of spatial plans in order to ensure full alignment.
HIGH RISK INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS
The Figure 50 below provides an indication of the informal settlements that are either fully or partly affected by Flammable Oil / Petroleum / Gas Pipeline Servitudes the as well as the 1 in 100 year Floodplain. In relation to the total informal settlement backlog, less than 4% of households are either fully or partially affected by these risks. Nevertheless high risk settlements will be considered for priority relocations to suitable greenfield projects. In addition as part of the Municipality’s new approach to informal settlements which has a strong focus on resilience building, the aim is to work in collaboration with communities on the ground in order to identify short, medium and long term solutions to challenges.
With regards to informal settlements in floodplains as per Figure 51, there lies the challenge of identifying the level of risk in each informal settlement. Every settlement in a floodplain is at risk of flooding but the extent of the risk is dependent on the volume of rainfall within the catchment and where the rainfall falls. In addition the risk is related to the velocity of the river water, the nature of the soil which leads to erosion risk as well as the depth of the water in relation to the dwelling levels. A Risk Matrix is being developed by the City’s Coastal and Stormwater Management Department as a possible method to identify settlements and dwellings with the greatest risk
Fig 51 Location of High Risk Informal settlements
CHALLENGES TO HOUSING DELIVERY
The funding portion for top-structures is insufficient for medium and high-density developments such as double-storey row- houses, especially if they are located on steep sites. Medium to high-density developments are required to implement the spatial and housing strategies of eThekwini. Top-ups per unit are required to enable the construction of double-storey duplexes. Going two storeys and more results in significantly higher costs. As a result the very poor cannot own units in high density developments. Even if funding was made available, a focused home ownership program will need to be initiated, educating beneficiaries on their responsibilities in living within sectional title developments. This also begs the question of whether such beneficiaries will be in a position to afford the levies.
The housing subsidy provisions for difficult geotechnical conditions are insufficient for building on steep and geotechnically difficult land. The geotechnical variation allowed for in the subsidy scheme does not adequately respond to eThekwini soil and slope conditions. A top up subsidy is required to enable additional earthworks, embankments, soil retaining, slope
stabilisation, and stormwater control in such areas.
Other key challenges relating to Housing:
• High backlogs with limited funding available;
• Lack of well-located and suitable land;
• Projects stalled due to delays experienced in land acquisition, environmental and developmental approvals and conflicting interests, especially with adjoining communities.
• Invasion of land and houses.
• Unavailability of bulk infrastructure (sewer, water, electricity and roads) and/or aging infrastructure.