Spotlight - The shifting landscape of South Africa’s informal

The nature of informal settlements is changing:
many shacks are being upgraded “from below” to
more permanent brick structures, often spurred by
electrification—even without formal upgrading
processes.

Overcrowding and “cramped” living persists,
especially multiple households in single apartments
(one family per room).
Informal settlements remain precarious — limited
infrastructure, insecure tenure, etc., though
incremental improvements occur via informal
upgrading, electrification, municipal services.
The perception that informal settlements are
“mushrooming out of control” may be overstated;
some of the change is structural (e.g. upgrading,
densification, conversion) rather than pure growth.

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