Policy and Planning talk from the Director for Urban Integration in Cape Town - 'Informality is

Today is a full day seminar, with a wealth of speakers talking about policy and planning with regards to addressing informality and Cape Town's goals towards spatial integration. The following post is bullet pointed notes from the seminar.

Namso Balisa

Director for Urban Integration in Cape Town

Transport and Urban Development Authority

• NDP - Long term plan in reducing poverty and inequality towards 2030

• Particular emphasis on the effects of urbanisation

• Spatial planning

• Pressures on urban infrastructure between diff service depts. At diff scales

• Informal settlements

• Lack of diversification of housing types

Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF)

• Aims to guide development of inclusive resilient and liveable settlements

• Access

• Growth

• Governance

• Spatial integration

Human Settlement Policies

• Comprehensive plan BNG

• Change focus from quality to sustainable human settlements

• Didn’t result in accompanying policy

• Just plan

National Housing Code

• Social housing plan

• Upgrading settlements – community based programme to look at relocation methods

• Qualifying criteria

• Sets out underlying policies, guidelines and standards

Allocation Policy

• Provincial and National governments set out criteria, no allocation to say what guides the people’s allocation. For example who gets prioritised, how far away etc

Procedures for the cancellation of deeds of sale

• Outlines principles for dealing with people no longer in occupation of sites in former blacks settlements

Backyarder service programme

• Basic services – infrastructure

Indigent policy

• Municipal rate reduction

• Suspension of debt collection

• Provision of free basic services

Unlawful Occupation Policy

Re blocking policy

• Community led process of reconfiguring the layout of informal settlements to utilise space to promote health and safety of households. Emphasis on accelerating service delivery.

Linking departments in order to plan development. For example coordinating with the building of transport links.

We are looking at our policies and want them to be linked to integration policies and the growth and development of the city

Statement from Jen:

You haven’t said anything about time frame. We are 20 years into governance and yet people are still not being listened to. The money is being put into white elephants, this is tax or rent payers money being wasted in broken projects.

Backyarders – They need the same thing as people in informal settlements. It’s not a lifestyle. They want proper social housing too.