6.2. INTERVIEWS WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY
6.2.3. Theme 3: Level of community satisfaction
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more on government, domestic workers and other unskilled workers are not considered once the project has been identified, as emphasis is more on the locals (see Todes, 2008). Even though the Spatial Developments have been approved by Council, catalyst projects tend to bypass the whole process. In as much as plans are driven by developments in a particular direction, plans for developments have to be adopted, in order to meet the requirements (see eThekwini Municipality, 2015).
The findings have further shown that it is important for government to facilitate access to the land, which is habitable. Land which is close to the city is owned by the private sector or individuals, who are only willing to sell it to the municipality at a high price. Another challenge identified by officials that also hinders the process of the transfer of title deeds is that beneficiaries would rather go back to the informal settlements than staying in these new developments. The findings further indicated that if the issuing of title deeds can be fast-tracked by the relevant structures, municipalities will have less problems with the illegal transactions taking place (see Urban Landmark, 2011). The original beneficiaries in the register are no longer occupying the units, in some cases there are new owners who have made informal arrangements with the original owners. Some have paid money for these new units which is going to lead to difficulties removing them
The findings further indicated that community members be involved in the decision to relocate them to new areas. Consumer education should concern itself with how communities’ lives will be affected in the new areas, which can serve as another strategy to improve the quality of life of communities (see Irvin & Stansbury, 2004). Communities emphasised correct procedures be implemented in facilitating community participation by the municipality, as this will result in less problems experienced in implementing community projects. It is not only the communities, which benefit but also administrators because they get to be aware of what the community is thinking in relation to the proposed policy.
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communities. The objective intends to ascertain the level of satisfaction among communities with the strategy employed by the eThekwini Municipality in creating quality living environments.
6.2.3.1. Housing backlog
Housing backlog in South Africa has resulted in the increased number of people living in informal settlements. This has further resulted in the municipality not being able to provide houses for all people living in the city. As indicated in the above theme, the municipality has engaged in situ upgrades and Greenfields, which are strategies used to address the housing backlog in the city. In situ upgrades is the upgrading of informal settlements so that communities can have access to basic services where they are, without them being relocated to new areas. The Greenfields is the relocation of people from informal settlements and other areas identified by the municipality, which also involve special cases (see IDP 2016/2017). The question that one is likely to ask themselves is how is the municipality employing this strategy in order to create quality living environment? In addressing the housing backlog, government has introduced a new paradigm by developing projects within walkable distances that are closer to work; transport and social amenities (see Khan & Khan, 2012).
…. migration has been a major challenge that we are witnessing in the City. I admit that this is a world trend that generally human beings are urbanizing, however in our case they are not many opportunities in other regional centres as a result you then get a mainly Richards bay, eThekwini, Newcastle and Port Shepstone absorbing a big number of migrants or people coming to their cities at a rate that municipalities cannot cope with the rate of migration. (3)
6.2.3.2. Facilitation of in situ upgrades and Greenfields
Respondents indicated that the Housing Sector Plan outlines strategies that municipalities should employ in addressing human settlements. The municipality is giving priority to in situ upgrades. However, there is a Greenfields project, Cornubia, which is a catalyst, and regarded as a national priority. Respondents indicated that there is a challenge of finding land for Greenfields. Respondents further indicated that there was a pronouncement by the Minister of the DHS that the Greenfields must produce more than 10 000 units or more (see Social Impact Assessment Cornubia, 2015).
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The Greenfields consists of mix-use, individual ownership, rental, social housing close to employment opportunities, partnership between government and private sector. As a result, they are regarded as mega projects. In Greenfields it is easy to build up in a small piece of land where the municipality is able to accommodate more people. (8)
Respondents indicated that the facilitation of in situ-upgrades, where informal settlements are upgraded first, is often not without challenges – for instance, the land identified in most cases, belongs to the municipality – and is, in cases, not suitable for human habitation.
People in informal settlements are there for different reasons others want to be relocated to Greenfields. Social facilitators are there to handle this so that they can address such issues.
(9)
The relocation of participants again by the municipality is based on the fact that some settlements are built on the land which does not belong to the municipality. Some informal settlements are built on the land which belongs to the department of education and that land must be returned back. (7)
…. in situ is a three prone strategy because when upgrading in some settlements not everyone will be relocated some have to be transferred to the transit camps. As per policy they are expected to stay for a certain period but it is no longer the case some are now staying longer.
(6)
The findings indicated that it is a huge challenge for the municipality to relocate communities.
Some communities do not meet the criteria because of certain documents which are missing, and some are earning more than the threshold, therefore they do not meet the requirements.
This makes it difficult to eradicate informal settlements completely, because once a particular group has been relocated others come in to build new shacks, which makes it difficult to control. The key objectives of the in situ upgrades is to provide tenure security, health and security, as well as empowerment, as opposed to relocations, in order to achieve policy objectives (see DHS, 2009). This is further affirmed by the fact that upgrading informal settlements is aimed at restoring the dignity of the urban poor – through the programme. This programme will assist in enhancing tenure security, promoting a healthy and safe environment, and facilitates social and economic integration. This is supported by the adoption of the programme Upgrading and Informal Settlements Programme (see Chewni, 2012).
148 6.2.3.3. New life in the Greenfields
Respondents reiterated that moving to the Greenfields has created other demands in their new way of living. There has also been an increase in the demand for communities to access other amenities, economic opportunities, and recreational facilities. Hence, South African cities were overcrowded, because of the number of people moving from rural to urban areas, with the hope of securing better lives. Others felt that informal settlements guaranteed them of livelihoods (see UN-Habitat, 2012). Moreover, respondents unanimously agreed that if municipalities want to build communities, it is important that people have access to all amenities, which satisfy the new strategy by government of integrated human settlements (see City Alliance, 2016).
Then they realised that “no, no” you can’t be creating communities, unless you bring in everything in an integrated manner. You are building the settlement hence a settlement can be a settlement if it brings in all these other amenities. (4)
Being relocated to the Greenfields means that in as much amenities are available, however they are not provided to beneficiaries for free. The municipality experiences challenges in the sense some beneficiaries would find it difficult to pay for these services as some of them are not employed. Beneficiaries are now expected to maintain the units, as they are no longer living in an informal settlement (see Siqhwala, 2002).
The findings of this theme indicated that the poor level of dissatisfaction among communities in most cases results from the lack of consultation on the part of authorities. This has led to an increase in the number of service delivery protests in communities (see Tissington, 2011) – as has resulted in communities resorting back to informal settlements – owing to their dissatisfaction with life in the new area and has been acknowledged by the communities. This has in turn, led to an increase in the housing backlog in the city, where the demand for housing is increasing over time (see IDP, 2015/16).
The findings of the theme further indicated that migration to the city has resulted in an increased demand for housing. Metropolitan cities are finding it difficult to deal with rapid urbanisation, given the limited resources at their disposal (see United Nations, 2012). Urbanisation is a global problem – therefore, cities should take action, in order to deal with the challenges that urbanisation brings – hence, this movement has increased the backlog experienced by the city in meeting the demand of the increased numbers (see www.durban.gov.za).
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The findings of the theme further revealed that the upgrading of informal settlements has not yielded the results that the city was expecting. This is witnessed through the increasing numbers of informal settlements sprawling in the city and the decisions that communities are showing in moving back to the informal settlements once they have been relocated to new areas.
Respondents indicated the frustration that the municipality is facing in dealing with informal settlements in the city as it stifles the strategies that the municipality has engaged in addressing housing backlog. Relocations to Greenfields were deemed a solution in addressing housing backlog but this has resulted to more pressure that the city is faced with in dealing with illegal transactions taking place amongst the beneficiaries. Communities also acknowledged the difficulty in paying for the services, and the result of failing to pay for the services is also another problem that the municipality is facing in dealing with the relocations.