8.3.1 SITE A : CATO CREST
8.3.1.1 LOCATION
Ashwell Road, Cato Crest, Durban 8.3.1.2 JUSTIFICATION
This site was considered as it is part of the Cato Crest area. It is well located urban land and has good connection to amenities in the area. It is a Greenfields site and would provide well located urban housing to residents of the area.
8.3.1.3 ASSESSMENT
Informal Residence [6] - The site area is situated directly between areas of auto- constructed housing and formal RDP housing. There are no existing dwellings on site.
Settlement Size [6] – The Cato Crest settlement is large and fairly dense. There is a need for housing in the area; however there is no existing informal settlement on this site.
Figure 41: Cato Crest: site illustrated in red fill, with main arterials highlighted in red Image source: Google Maps 2016
120 Community Autonomy [5] - There is evidence of self-erected, auto-constructed dwellings in the Cato Crest area, but none on this particular site. These take the form of entirely user- erected informal dwellings or „backyard shack‟ additions to RDP homes.
Degree of Urbanity [7] – Proximity to the city is good. Connections to main arterials are not direct, but are fair. Amenities are provided around the site but none exist on the site itself.
Employment opportunities are available in the area.
Resistance [3] – A strong civil society exists in the informal settlement areas in Cato Crest.
This site is closer to the formal housing developments than the informal settlement; thus is not a contested space where residents have taken action to remain.
Total: 27/50
8.3.2 SITE B : QUARRY ROAD
8.3.2.1 LOCATION
M19 / Quarry Road, Palmiet, Durban
Figure 42: Palmiet: site illustrated in red fill, with main arterials highlighted in red Image source: Google Maps 2016
121 8.3.2.2 JUSTIFICATION
This site was considered as it is a well-established settlement and has been little intervention in the settlement. It has good connections to the Reservoir Hills area as well as that of Clare Estate.
8.3.2.3 ASSESSMENT
Informal Residence [7] - The site area is densely populated with informal, auto-constructed dwellings, and has been so for many years.
Settlement Size [6] – The informal settlement is one of four in the area, ranging from 300- 500 informal dwellings. The Quarry Road settlement is extremely dense, over a relatively small area.
Community Autonomy [5] – the community of informal settlement residents practice auto- construction and live on the property without tenure security.
Degree of Urbanity [7] – Good connections to main arterials (M19, Mountbatten Drive O‟Flaherty road), provides access to Reservoir Hills, Umgeni and Clare Estate. This implies good access to employment opportunities. Transport is available along these arterials allowing easier access for residents.
Resistance [6] – Residents in the Quarry Road area refused relocation to Parkgate in 2004.
Family members have joined residents in the informal settlement, implying intention to remain in the settlement.
Total: 31/50
122 8.3.3 SITE C : CATO CREST [SELECTED]
8.3.3.1 LOCATION
M10 (Vusi Msimela Road), Cato Crest, Durban 8.3.3.2 JUSTIFICATION
This site is selected as it is a well-established informal settlement and has a long tradition of auto-constructed housing. It is well located urban land, and offers good proximity to the city as well as good connections to other areas.
8.3.3.3 ASSESSMENT
Informal Residence [9] – The Cato Crest settlement is one of the more established settlements in Durban, densifying rapidly in the 1980s due to influx of African migrants.
There is a very strong culture of informality and informal construction. Residents of informal settlements live in Cato Crest permanently, although in informal dwellings due to lack of tenure security. The implementation of in-situ RDP housing projects acknowledges the need
Figure 43: Cato Crest: site illustrated in red fill, with main arterials highlighted in red Image source: Google Maps 2016
123 for more stable and permanent residences. However, auto-construction continues to take place by residents of RDP homes as they extend their homes.
Settlement Size [8] – The Cato Crest is a large, dense settlement with 7610 households, and a population of 17 860 in 2011. A fair number of informal settlement residents are required in order to implement a sustainable, process-driven incremental housing development.
Degree of Urbanity [9] - This site offers good proximity to the city, illustrated by a large community of residents that walk to the CBD via Berea Road for employment. There is easy access to transport (taxi and buses) with good connections to main arterials – M10, Spine Road, Albert Luthuli. This implies good access to employment in the following areas: Berea, CBD, Cato Manor, Manor Gardens. There is provision of amenities such as the Cato Crest Library, Primary Schools, Superettes, Police Station, and various businesses (including hardware stores for materials).
Community Autonomy [8] – This site has only informal, auto-constructed dwellings. The sites are selected by residents themselves. This illustrates an act of autonomy and claim to urban land. There has been collective action among community members seeking state assistance and access to housing.
Resistance [9] – there is a strong civil society present in Cato Crest, with many service delivery protests being undertaken in recent years. Many residents migrate to the area to join other family members living in the informal settlement. This indicates the permanent intention to remain living here. Residents have resisted relocation to periphery settlements on many occasions.
Total: 43/50
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