Informal backyard rentals through a social sustainability lens – a case study in Oudtshoorn, South Africa

Abstract

Social sustainability is a significant field of research in post-apartheid South Africa, given the challenges and inequalities faced, evidenced in urban landscapes where millions reside in informal settlements and informal backyard rental accommodation. This article investigates the informal backyard rental phenomenon in South Africa through a social sustainability lens, focusing on a case study in Bridgton and Bongolethu, Oudtshoorn. Qualitative and quantitative research findings unveil several features in support of social sustainability framed by familial connections between landlords and backyard tenants. The article also uncovers certain challenges presented by informal backyard rentals and social sustainability, predominantly related to the quality of structures and certain social concerns. In its totality, the article provides a contextualised perspective on social sustainability in the informal backyard rental sector and provides the planning community and other decision makers with a more nuanced understanding of the complexities and potentials that may underpin it in small town South Africa and beyondSosiale volhoubaarheid is ʼn beduidende navorsingsveld in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika gegewe die uitdagings en ongelykhede wat veral in stedelike gebiede in die gesig gestaar word waar miljoene in informele nedersettings en informele agterplaasverhurings gehuisves word. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die informele agterplaasverhurings verskynsel in Suid-Afrika deur ʼn sosiale volhoubaarheidslens gefokus op ʼn gevallestudie in Bridgton en Bongolethu, Oudtshoorn. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsbevindinge dui op verskeie eienskappe ter ondersteuning van sosiale volhoubaarheid, gerugsteun deur familiële verbintenisse tussen verhuurders en hul agterplaashuurders. Die artikel onthul ook sekere uitdagings tot sosiale volhoubaarheid wat deur agterplaasverhuring teweeg gebring word, hoofsaaklik toegeskryf aan die kwaliteit van strukture en ander sosiale kwelpunte. In die geheel, verskaf die artikel ʼn gekontekstualiseerde blik op sosiale volhoubaarheid en die informele agterplaasverhuringsektor en bied aan owerhede en ander besluitnemers ʼn meer genuanseerde begrip van die kompleksiteit en potensiaal wat die sektor in kleiner dorpe en die res van Suid-Afrika inhouPolokeho ya setjhaba ke lekala le bohlokwa la diphuputso dinakong tse ka mora kgethollo ya merabe Afrika Borwa, ka lebaka la diphepetso le ho se lekalekane ho bileng teng; ho banahetseng meralong ya ditoropo, moo teng dimilione tsa batho di dulang dibakeng tse seng molaong le ho hira bodulo bo seng molang ka morao dijareteng tsa batho. Atikele ena e fuputsa tabahadi ena ya khiro e seng molaong ya ka moraong dijareteng Afrika Borwa, ka ho sheba polokeho ya setjhaba; e tsepamisitse maikutlo hodima thutong ya mehlala ka hare ho Bridgton le Bongolethu, Oudtshoorn. Diphumano tsa diphuputso tsa boleng le tsa lebadi (Qualitative and quantitative research) di hlahisa dibopeho tse mmalwa bakeng sa tshehetso ya polokeho ya setjhaba, di sirelleditswe ke dikamano dipakeng tsa monga sebaka le bahiri ba dulang ka morao jareteng. Atikele ena hape e utolla diphepetso tse itseng tse tliswang ke khiro e seng molaong ya ka morao dijareteng le polokeho ya setjhaba, haholoholo e amanang le boleng ba sebopheho le dingongoreho tse itseng tsa setjhaba. Ka kakaretso, atikele e fana ka mohopolo o boemong ba bolokeho ya setjhaba khirong e seng molaong ya ka morao dijareteng, mme e fa setjhaba se ralang meralo le batho ba bang ba etsang diqeto; kutlwisiso e fapaneng hannyane ya diphetoho le dikgonahalo tse ka hlahang ditoropong tse nnyane tsa Afrika Borwa le ho feta