ISU Strategy

By multiplying the number of households with the city's average household size according to census 2011 data, we get a sense of how many people live in informal settlements

The number of households residing in informal settlements across the entire city.

This figure represents the proportion of the city's population living in informal settlements. In other words, one in ten people live in an informal settlement.

A leading department needs to take responsibility for the strategy.

Every city should have an informal settlement upgrading strategy articulated in their core municipal doucmentation.

This indicator seeks to understand if the city government can realistically deliver each informal settlement household a house in a reasonable (<15 years) time period

City governments should clearly indicate the proportion of capital budgets, like the Urban Settlements Development Grant, is reserved for informal settlement upgrading.

There should be a clear alignment between the strategy and the budgets allocated to implement that strategy.

The HDA has developed guidelines to assess informal settlements. The following categories are used: A: Full upgrade - consisting of full services, top-structures and formal tenure B1: Interim basic services - where/full upgradingis feasible but not imminent B2: Emergency basic services - Where full upgrading is not viable or appropriate C: Relocations - Where there are urgent health or safety threats

HDA guidelines recommend that city governments conduct a rapid assessment and categorisation of informal settlements.

This figure indicates that 41% of informal settlements in the Eastern Cape Province is located in East London.

Informal settlements are differently defined by cities, and are sometimes called settlements, pockets, or clusters. The number presented here is the smallest measurable unit.

This indicator is a qualitative assessment by Isandla Institute when taking into account the nature of the upgrading strategy.

Determining the appropriateness of the city government's assessment and categorisation is a qualitative appraisal by Isandla Institute

The growth rate of informal settlements is calculated by comparing census 2001 and 2011 data.

Knowing the annual housing delivery rate will provide evidence of whether the city government can meet the needs of informal settlements through the conventional housing programme.

It is important to know if the city government is prioritising housing as a response to informal settlements.

City governments should clearly indicate the proportion of capital budgets, like the Urban Settlements Development Grant, is reserved for informal settlement upgrading.

Every strategy should be clearly state, without ambiguity and uncertainty, what the city's strategy of upgrading informal settlements is. In this way, citizens can hold their governments to account.