We thank government, CSO partners and above all informal settlement residents for their work on Asivikelane and informal settlement services in 2020. In this release we think out loud about what government and Asivikelane should do about informal settlement services in 2021.
What municipalities should do about informal settlement services in 2021
- Informal settlement residents face persistent risks due to inadequate service provision. Municipalities could do more to protect these communities – even within tight budgets.
- Temporary services are more expensive to install and maintain than permanent services, and they do not assure the dignity and health of residents. We understand why temporary services are sometimes necessary – but they should not be used beyond the short term.
- Municipalities should budget for and speed up incremental delivery that focuses on permanent service provision. Over the medium term they should work towards the provision of 1-to-1 services where each household has its own tap/s and toilet. This is an important step towards formalising settlements and promoting security of tenure.
What Asivikelane will do about informal settlements services in 2021
- Keep engaging with municipalities to improve and increase basic services in informal settlements.
- Develop budget proposals for how municipalities can finance this.
- Strengthen informal settlement residents’ ability to monitor service delivery and engage with municipal budget processes.
Download one page summary for metro here
Download one page summary for non-metro here
Download detailed spreadsheet for all responses here