Dimensions of poverty in informal settlements: a case study of Disteneng Squatter Camp, Polokwane Municipality, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Apartheid land policy and its constitution as a whole conceptualized and structured South African in a way that encouraged inequalities in terms of land ownership, job opportunities and access to education and recreational facilities. The privileged few (whites and a few black elites and whosoever summarized with the former apartheid regime) got richer and richer while the less privileged people, (in this case, the majority of the black people of South Africa) got poor. They were even denied reasonable access to land and quality education. This investigative study examines the state in which they lived and how they are still living in Squatter Camp as an attempt to make qualitatively justifiable recommendations. Informal settlement is as old as the origin of urban settlement, which existed through industrialization process worldwide. A need for peace, jobs, security, housing and land ownership resulted in the establishment of informal settlement near big towns and mines. The most disadvantaged people, those characterized by poverty due to unemployment, lack of land ownership due to one reason or another move to informally settle nearer to areas in which there are possibilities for employment opportunities and better standard of living. Specifically, this study examines the deficiencies associated with the existing informal settlement through its assessment and evaluation. In this regard all aspects of assessment techniques of the way in which inhabitants of Disteneng informal settlement live i.e. interviewing processes (both structured and informal), observation through site visit, checking of documented information with regard to informal settlement etc have been used. The gaps that exist between urban life and the living conditions of people from squatter camp have been investigated and reflected. Vii The focus of the argument in this study is that the less job opportunities and access to land that people have, the more they live in squalid conditions and move to towns in search of work. This means that the problems they face have to be addressed positively and effectively by the relevant departments of South African Government. Alternative well-serviced living conditions have to be developed and provided to these people (people living in Disteneng squatter camp). Timeously, the department of housing should take statistics of the number of people who are without houses and employment as well as those who are illiterate, so as to develop better responsive policies for addressing these problems before they are out of control. As a mean of addressing these problems the life in Disteneng squatter camp has been investigated. The results from the data analysis, including the views of the inhabitants of Disteneng squatter camp have been reflected and recommendations were spelt out in the last chapter of this study.