Towards more compact South African settlements through informal housing: the case of backyard densification in Bridgton and Bongolethu, Oudtshoorn

Abstract

This article engages the concepts of urban sprawl and density, as the foundations for a discussion on South Africa’s informal backyard rental sector. This research attempts to relate some of the spatial impacts levied by the backyard sector in post-apartheid South Africa, based on case study research in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, the Rose Valley formalisation project, as well as the Bridgton and Bongolethu townships. This article employs both qualitative and quantitative analyses and arrives at several key findings. Results show that informal backyard rentals increase dwelling unit and population densities substantially in the case study, accommodating households who would otherwise occupy land illegally on the urban periphery, contributing to urban sprawl. Findings also suggest that these backyard tenants enjoy excellent access to services, placing increased pressure on Oudtshoorn’s already overcapacitated infrastructure network. This article posits that informal backyarding has to be encouraged and supported based on the sector’s contribution to urban compaction, but that related impacts on infrastructure be addressed in future planning interventions

Hierdie artikel betrek konsepte soos stedelike randsprei en digtheid as die grondslag vir ʼn bespreking oor Suid-Afrika se informele agterplaasverhuringssektor. Diè navorsing poog om die ruimtelike impak van die agterplaassektor uit te lig in die era na apartheid in Suid-Afrika, gebaseer op veldwerk in Oudtshoorn in die Wes- Kaap, die dorp se Rose Valley formaliseringsprojek en die Bridgton en Bongolethu nedersettings. Hierdie artikel maak gebruik van beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe analises om tot ʼn gevolgtrekking te kom. Resultate toon aan dat informele agterplaasstrukture wooneenheid- en bevolkingsdigthede merkwaardig verhoog in die gevallestudie, terwyl die sektor huishoudings huisves wat andersins onwettig op die stedelike periferie sou vestig en randsprei bevorder. Resultate wys ook dat agterplaashuurders goeie toegang tot dienste geniet, wat meer druk op Oudtshoorn se reeds oorlaaide infrastruktuurnetwerk teweeg bring. Hierdie artikel voer dus aan dat informele agterplaasverhuring aangemoedig en ondersteun word, gebaseer op die sektor se bydrae tot stedelike kompaktheid, maar dat verwante impakte op infrastruktuur in toekomstige beplanning aangespreek word

Atikele ena e sebedisa mehopolo ya ho se tswellepele ha toropo le ho teteana. Tsena di sebediswa jwalo ka metheo bakeng sa puisano ya lekala la khiriso e seng molaong ya dijarete tse ka morao matlong Afrika Borwa. Dipatlisiso tsena di leka ho amanya tse ding tsa dikgahlamelo tsa tefo ho ya ka lekala la khiriso ya dijarete tse ka morao matlong nakong ya dilemo tsa kgethollo Afrika Borwa. Dipatlisiso tsena ke ho ya ka Western Cape Town ya Oudtshoorn, projeke ya ho etsa dintho semolao ya Rose Valley le makeishene a Bridgton le Bongolethu. Atikele ena e sebedisa manollo ya lebadi le ya boleng (quantitative and qualitative analysis), mme hape e fihlella diphumano tse mmalwa tsa sehlooho. Thutong ena ya mehlala (the case study), diphetho di bontsha hore khiro e seng molaong ya dijarete tsa ka morao matlong e eketsa diyuniti tsa bodulo le bongata ba baahi, e fana ka bodulo ho malapa ao a neng a ka inkela dibaka tsa bodulo ntle le molao toropong; mme sena se bapala karolo ho se tswelleng pele ha toropo. Diphetho hape di bontsha hore bahiri ba matlo a ka morao dijareteng ba fumana ditshebeletso tsa boemo bo hodimo, mme sena se beya boima bo eketsehileng hodima marangrang a meralo ya motheo Oudtshoorn; e seng e sena bokgoni. Atikele ena e paka hore ho dula matlong a ka morao dijareteng ka ntle ho molao ho tlameha ho kgothalletswa le ho tshehetswa ho ya ka kabelo ya lekala bakeng sa ho fokotsa toropo, empa dikgahlamelo hodima meralo ya motheo di tlamehile ho sekasekwa nakong e tlang ha ho etswa merero