Academic literature on the topic 'Imizamo Yethu'

With the increased concentration of populations in urban areas and the consequent occupation of marginal land, largely by the poor, the need for effective means of understanding and managing urban risk is immense. This paper explores the existence and variability of fire risk in the informal settlement of “Imizamo Yethu”, an informal settlement situated in Cape Town, South Africa. The case study mainly analyses the factors influencing the conditions of risk. It highlights the need for a shift away from the hegemonic dialogue around so-called natural disasters and goes further to challenge the view of risk as an interaction between external, natural hazards and internally generated vulnerability. The paper explores how different factors affecting fire risk operate at different scales and the resulting importance of recognising and understanding intra-community and even intra-household variability of risk. In so doing, it becomes evident that for risk reduction strategies to be effective, focus cannot simply be placed on structural interventions, but must encompass elements of social development which are sensitive to current livelihood strategies.

This paper explores relationships between political actors, local governance and violence in a community, through the case of security provision in the township of Imizamo Yethu in Cape Town. It traces the actions of key actors including SANCO, the City of Cape Town and ordinary residents in respect of crime, taxi violence, xenophobic attacks, protection rackets and service delivery protests. The extensive and varied nature of violence in Imizamo Yethu is related to uneven political legitmacy. Further, this weak governance is attributable to a lack of legitimacy of both the City of Cape Town and informal community leaders. The latter are take the form of the local branch of a civic association, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) allied to the national ruling party, the Africa National Congress (ANC). In Imizamo Yethu, SANCO is weak and riven by factionalism, but the legitimacy of the ANC remains high and there is no violent contest for local leadership positions. Social cohesion in IY is in flux, and violence is alternately used to shore up particular notions of social cohesion; while in other examples violence erodes social cohesion. In short, inadequate state governance and informal rule co-exist with high levels of political support for the ANC and its allies, high levels of violence and uncertain implications for social cohesion. This account runs against three common key assumptions. The first is that, under conditions of weak rule, violence is primarily about contests over political power. The pervasiveness of violence by a variety of social actors in Imizamo Yethu, but not so much by SANCO or the ANC, challenges this assumption. The second is that the violence is constitutive of informal rule in such contexts. However, in Imizamo Yethu the importance of party identification and ability to extract resources from the local state are more important to effective local rule than violent capacities. Lastly, the case of IY illustrates that effective local rule is not necessarily an important condition of party legitimacy, which is rooted in larger dynamics of national and race politics. Indeed, such is the extent of political adherence , as opposed to social cohesion, that violence forms no part of competition within the ANC family for local office and political control.

South Africa is a complex and dynamic society, with overwhelming and increasing problems with disaster risk in the vulnerable urban communities in and around its rapidly growing metropolitan centres. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the challenges for disaster risk reduction in such communities. It focuses on the case of Imizamo Yethu, in the Western Cape, in order to build theory that is grounded in the empirical realities of stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction there. The result points towards five interrelated key challenges, which must be concurrently addressed through large-scale development efforts. Without such investments, it is unlikely that disaster risks can be reduced to tolerable levels.

This paper takes ·its name from a publication by Steven Holi. Also entitled Anchoring, Holl writes that architecture and building are 'ground' or 'anchored' to their specific site. He states that the relationship between architecture and site should be more than purely functional - there should be a poetic, a metaphysical · link. This thesis started with an interest in a very specific site, the informal settlement of lmizamo Yethu in Hout Bay which is-located on a steep slope of an old forestry site. Despite its great location, new houses built to replace the informal shack are not 'ground' to site and few communal facilities exist to give people a sense of belonging. Anchoring This is an exploration of anchoring in architecture. Firstly, it is about the anchoring of community through public spaces and communal facilities. Secondly, it is about the anchoring of the individual through buildings, which can impart a sense of belonging and attachment to a specific place. Lastly, it is also about the physical anchoring of buildings to their specific sites. The document is divided into three main sections, roughly corresponding to the three . above-mentioned ideas about anchoring. Section A deals with the issue of Squatting. Its aim is· simply to understand the issue of squatting in Imizamo Yethu in a greater context: globally, historically and physically. Section B, Anchoring, is an exploration into 'site', and the special conditions that emerge at the point where buildings meet the ground, with a focus on threshold spaces and their importance in architecture. Intervening, the final section, puts some of the ideas and principles learnt through my research to the test. It is a study and implementation of threshold spaces within the squatter community of lmizamo Yethu.

Masters Administration - MADMIN
The ability to campaign freely in the run-up to elections is seen as a critical part of democracy. This study seeks to establish whether South African political parties can campaign freely in township areas, without fear of intimidation or violence, or whether they remain closed party strongholds. This paper examines what constitutes a �free and fair� campaign space. This study then explores the 2014 election campaigns of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the township of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay in the Western Cape and examines party campaigning in that particular township. The study looks at the perceptions of political parties and the community members with regard to the campaign process in Imizamo Yethu. It looks at how both the governing and the opposition parties experienced campaigning in this area, which is the stronghold of the ANC, and how free and fair they think the whole process was. Community members� perception of the political parties is also examined. This study finds that opposition parties experienced a number of challenges while campaigning in this area. Some of these challenges were that the people in the area were not very receptive to other parties that are not the ANC due to factors such as party identification and clientelistic relationships that exist in the community. The study then concludes that even though these issues are not sole contributors, they play a significant role in influencing people�s voting decisions and how they view political parties.

The destructive impact of disasters, man-made and natural, has been well studied in many contexts and a number of approaches for managing these disasters have been suggested. Much of the literature, however, has come out of the developing world with the focus on formal, well established communities. Informal communities are so inherently different from formal areas that they experience disasters very differently. Fires across Cape Town informal settlements have been well publicised following a number of devastating fires in recent years, but limited local research has been conducted in this and urban design for disaster risk reduction. Planning has the ability to fulfil a key role in acting as facilitator between communities and disaster management officials by developing detailed local plans focussed on reducing community vulnerability; something which is not often seen. This research therefore focussed on Community Based Disaster Risk Management for Fires in an informal Cape Town community. The need for increased community involvement in the planning and Disaster Management processes is the premise upon which this research is based, contrasted with the typical top-down approaches commonly used in Disaster Risk Reduction. In order to study Disaster Risk Management at the community scale, case study research was conducted in Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay; a dense settlement that has been plagued by numerous fires recently. Focus groups were run with community members and fire-fighters, using a physical 3D model of their community for interaction and analysis. To supplement these interactions, local authorities and disaster management officials were interviewed for their perspectives. The results of these discussions were analysed in conjunction with a socio-economic and bio-physical analysis of the community in order to draw conclusions and develop proposed interventions. The key findings are encouraging for the reduction of disaster risk in informal communities. Residents are enthusiastic about reducing disaster risk on a personal and neighbourhood level and requested increased interaction with local authorities. Ideas discussed during the focus groups are further developed and interventions and guidelines are proposed for the community and the City respectively. These innovative, previously unthought of solutions to some of the problems present an opportunity to change how communities plan for, respond to and deal with disasters.

Includes bibliographical references.
This dissertation is focused on the (re)configuration of social relations around a communal tap. It looks at the different ways in which fetching water from a communal tap brings life within an impoverished community in Cape Town, South Africa. I examine how the people of Imizamo Yethu who are located in a constrained and heavily populated geographical space, where movement and sociality are limited, take advantage of the tap space to (re)build relations through various social interactions. Water, one of the elements basic to human needs, activates hope in the midst of suffering, while stabilising residents’ uncertainties. During a four month ethnographic study of life within this community, I participated in and observed the daily practice of fetching water, and the interactions around one of the community’s taps. Building on the idea of water as a total social fact, and also conviviality as theoretical frame, I argue that water is as much a giver of life as it is a catalyst for social living. Water provides an opportunity for residents to meet, exchange stories, and seek survival strategies, further strengthening communal bonds. Through water and the social relations that it (re)configures, residents activate dignity.

Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2011.
Background: Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for coronary heart diseases, with inactive and unfit people almost twice more likely to die from coronary heart disease than more active and fit people (DoH, 2004). According to the American Heart Association inactive people are twice as likely as active people to die from cardiovascular disease. Physical inactivity has been associated with chronic diseases and health risks such as coronary heart diseases and obesity. Physical inactivity is the most prevalent risk factor for CHD. Aim: To establish the level of physical activity and factors associated to physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. Objectives: To determine the level of physical activity and inactivity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. To investigate the factors associated to physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. Method: This study is a cross-sectional quantitative survey. The study was conducted in Imizamo Yethu informal settlement, Cape Town. This township consists of predominantly informal housing. Participants who took part in this study are black women of the age between 20-60 years old living in Imizamo Yethu Township, Cape Town. Sample size calculation: Using Epi Info version 3.2 (CDC, 2004), the sample size was calculated to be 323 at 80% power and a 95% confidence level, using the following assumptions based on lack of time for exercise being the most important factor associated with inactivity. The researcher has administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions to collect data. Descriptive statistics has been calculated for all factors, and the relative risk (RR), 95% confidence interval around the RR, and Chi-square p-values for each factor has been calculated using STATA version 10. Findings: A total of 323 women participated in the study. The age of the participants ranged between 20-60 years. About a half of the participants were aged between 20-30 years, while a quarter of them aged between 30-40 years. A half of the women were unemployed (50%), and almost a half was employed 46%. Of those participants who were employed, 23.5% were domestic workers. The majority of participants received education at secondary level (75%), primary level (16), tertiary education or higher (7%) and no formal education (2%). Among women who were interviewed, over half of the participants (n=323), (57,9%) reported that they have not participated in any kind of physical activity and only 42% reported participation in physical activity. In this study, the overall findings indicated that the participants had acceptable level of physical activity. However, of the women employed (n=156), 68.6% reported that the nature of their work made them to have some sort of physical activity. About three in four women had no or low physical activity participation (73.7 %), and they showed acceptable level of household physical activity (80.5%) which may be caused by active participation in daily chores like fetching water from the communal tap, washing clothes with hands etc. Attitude, age, total physical activity and support were correlated. The correlated variables have shown a significant positive relationship (r=.141) between social support and level of physical activity among women residing in Imizamo Yethu at P-value < =.05. Eight variables were analysed using Chi-square, only two variables were found with significantly relationship with level of physical activity, namely age (p = .03) and employment status (p=.01). The participants who were employed have higher proportion of acceptable level of physical activity (61.7%) than the unemployed group (44.4%). This has indicated that the employment status and nature of work influences women to have some sort of physical activity. Conclusion: The findings indicate that participants in this study had acceptable levels of physical activity. Although the study shows that about three in four women had no or low physical activity participation, the findings showed acceptable level of household physical activity which may be caused by active participation in daily chores like fetching water from the communal tap, washing clothes with hands etc.

The study examines the issue of living conditions in informal settlements, using the case study of Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Cape Town. Affordability, lack of space, job related issues, a relatively small formal housing stock available in many urban centres, and deregulation, in terms of both access to land and finance, forced lower income groups to seek accommodation in informal settlements. Here people are exposed to unhealthy living conditions. The study reveals that living in informal settlements often poses significant health risks. Sanitation, food storage facilities and drinking water quality are often poor, with the result that inhabitants are exposed to a wide range of pathogens and houses may act as breeding grounds for insect vectors. In informal settlements people often live in temporary homes constructed with impermanent, basic materials. These inhabitants frequently have little option but to live on marginal land (flood plains or steep slopes, for example), with the consequence that they are the first to suffer the effects of cyclones and floods. In addition, a combination of overcrowding, the use of open fires and flammable buildings leads to danger from accidental fires, burns and scalding. The post-apartheid South African government has tried a number of housing initiatives to help alleviate the housing problem since 1994 when it came to power. These have included the Botshabelo Accord (1994), the Housing White Paper in 1995, the National Urban and Reconstruction Housing Agency in 1995, the Housing Subsidy Scheme in 1995, the Housing Act No. 107 of 1997 and the Policy on People’s Housing Process (1998). The government set itself a target of delivering one million houses within five years. By all indications the government did not fully comprehend the gravity of the problem in relation to available resources. In 2004, the Department of Housing declared its intention to eradicate informal settlements in South Africa by 2014. This followed the unprecedented housing backlog, proliferation of informal settlements, social exclusion and the inability of municipalities to provide basic infrastructure to urban poor households. However, despite these bold interventions by government, the study demonstrates that the provision of low-cost housing can be viewed as a wicked problem. Wicked problems are described to be “ill-defined, ambiguous, and associated with strong moral, political and professional issues”. The study, therefore, concludes that given the complexities surrounding the provision of low-cost housing in South Africa, the government’s ambitions to resolve housing backlogs by 2014 appear to be a far-fetched dream.

Magister Artium - MA
Access to adequate housing is one of the most debated issues in democratic South Africa. The government continues to battle with existing backlogs in the provision of housing and a seemingly increasing demand. At the same time, urban populations take to the streets to register their anger and frustration at the slow progress of service delivery as a whole, including housing and other basic services. Clearly this is an important issue in the country, one that has inspired great public debate and further engagement between the state and the people. Notably, this dissatisfaction endures despite the fact that South Africa’s post-apartheid government discourse on state-society relations has centred on greater participation, especially at local government level, as reflected in the commitment to participatory democracy in the South African constitution. Despite this, in general government housing policy has focused on ensuring the delivery of houses to the people rather than the participatory processes in the provision of housing. The 1994 Housing White Paper took an ‘incremental’ or ‘progressive’ approach to housing, which is a developer driven approach that limits the participation of ordinary citizens in the provision of housing, despite the government’s commitment to enabling participation. The introduction of the People’s Housing Process (PHP) in 1998 (later revised and became the Enhanced People’s Housing Process) was a breakthrough in government’s efforts for the involvement of communities in the housing process. However, even this initiative was criticised for its lack of any meaningful participation, as the contribution of individual residents and communities was limited to the implementation process, while the policy decisions were still in government hands. The revision of this policy and the broadening of the housing policy through Breaking New Ground were meant to encourage community ownership of housing provision and empower them beyond the limitations of the PHP. Notably, the meaning of participation encoded in housing programmes, particularly those such as the PHP, is taken for granted. It is assumed that participation will occur in a straight forward process. However, as this demonstrates, effective participatory processes necessitate particular forms of representation for beneficiaries. Designing an effective participatory mechanism thus requires paying attention to new practices of representation as well as new practices of participation. In the participatory housing processes in particular such representation is essential as the direct participation of communities in decision making might not be feasible at some points in the process, hence, community residents need people that will communicate and make decisions on their behalf in engaging with government. The South African literature on state-society relations is largely silent on the relationship between representation and participatory processes, thus there is limited analysis on local level leaders that become part of these participatory processes. This is the gap that this study explores in relation to housing through a case-study of the role of local community leaders in a People’s Housing Process housing project in Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay. It aims to understand the significance of the representative role played by local leaders who are not part of the formal democratic system of representation in development participatory processes. In exploring the Niall Mellon Housing Project as a case study, the research illustrates three main points: first, local leaders played a crucial role in the housing project. They initiated and implemented the programme and contributed to the overall success of the project. Indeed it is sensible to assume that organised and legitimate local leaders are essential to development projects as they are able to provide an effective link between government and the community. Second, since these local leaders are not part of the established democratic system of representation, their status is vulnerable to contestation. Local leaders lack the formal authority that usually occurs in representation modes that require explicit authorisation or those formalised as part of the state system of representation. Their position can easily be challenged and their legitimacy questioned. Third, development projects such as the one under investigation also create these kinds of legitimacy crisis. This is due to the competition for scarce government resources introduced by the development projects. Thus, those who feel excluded from the project may retaliate and question the actions of the local leaders. Hence, even though community leaders are useful in this participatory process, the state of their position is vulnerable and their legitimacy can be undermined by the very process that needs their participation.

Thesis (MA (Public and Development Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Developmental local government places emphasis on the importance of partnerships between local government and various stakeholders such as community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations and private sector organisations delivering services to communities. The focus of this thesis is on a service delivery improvement plan for Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, Cape Town, a poor Black informal settlement alongside a well-established and affluent White suburb. There is severe lack of service delivery in that community and the study has sought to suggest a solution that would address the appalling situation in which the people of Imizamo Yethu live. It seeks to respond to the question: How can partnerships between civil society organisations, local government and the private sector improve service delivery in Imizamo Yethu? The main research objectives were to determine how local government, business and civil society organisations can deliver services; to establish whether there were any partnerships between local government, civil society and the private sector in Imizamo Yethu; to describe the activities of role players in Imizamo Yethu; to identify areas that require partnership between these role players; to generate information for future research that will enable the community of Imizamo Yethu to address their problems; and to make recommendations on how service provision could be improved by establishing partnerships between local government, civil society and the private sector. Service provision is a complex exercise that needs different skills and strategies. Local government alone cannot win the battle of service delivery. What is needed is the collaboration of different role players using their different and unique capabilities. Partnerships between local government, civil society organisations and the private sector can be an effective alternative model of service provision. The study therefore focuses on improving partnerships between local government, civil society and business in Imizamo Yethu. While many civil society organisations, business organisations and local government departments are involved in service delivery and development in Imizamo Yethu, these organisations operate in isolation from each other. This makes it virtually impossible for them to make a dent in service delivery challenges. Through partnerships, local government, civil society and the private sector could wszssork together to mitigate the situation in the particular community. Forums by means of which local government, civil society organisations and business can work together should therefore be formed. Such forums could assist in terms of devising a strategy to provide services, and disseminate information. The study examines the level of service delivery and partnerships in Imizamo Yethu. It was found that there is both lack of service delivery and lack of partnership between the local government, which is the City of Cape Town, civil society and the private sector. It is recommended that community service delivery be established, with dissemination of information by the City of Cape Town by means of a communication strategy aimed at informing the community about such service delivery.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontwikkelingsgerigte plaaslike regering beklemtoon die belangrikheid van vennootskappe tussen die plaaslike owerheid en verskillende belanghebbers soos gemeenskapsgebaseerde organisasies, nie-regeringsorganisasies en organisasies in die private sektor wat dienste aan gemeenskappe lewer met die oog op ontwikkeling. Die tesis fokus op ‘n verbeterde diensleweringsplan vir Imizamo Yethu te Houtbaai, Kaapstad, ’n arm, informele Swart nedersetting aangrensend aan ‘n goed gevestigde en welgestelde wit voorstad. Die gemeenskap ondervind ’n ernstige gebrek aan dienslewering en die studie het gepoog om ’n oplossing aan die hand te doen om die haglike omstandighede waarin die inwoners van Imizamo Yethu bestaan, aan te spreek. Dit het probeer om die vraag met betrekking tot hoe vennootskappe tussen organisasies van die burgerlike samelewing, die regering en die private sektor dienslewering aan Imizamo Yethu kan verbeter. Die hoof navorsingsdoelwitte was om vas te stel hoe plaaslike regering en organisasies binne die sakelewe en burgerlike samelewing dienste kan lewer; om vas te stel of daar enige vennootskappe tussen die plaaslike owerheid, die burgerlike samelewing en die private sektor in Imizamo Yethu bestaan; om die aktiwiteite van rolspelers in Imizamo Yethu te beskrywe; om areas waarbinne ’n vennootskap tussen sodanige rolspelers benodig word, te identifiseer; om inligting vir toekomstige navorsing wat die gemeenskap in Imizamo Yethu in staat sal stel om hul probleme aan te spreek, te genereer; en om voorstelle aan die hand te doen oor hoe dienslewering deur die daarstelling van vennootskappe tussen die plaaslike bestuur, die burgerlike samelewing en die private sektor verbeter kan word. Die lewering van dienste is ‘n ingewikkelde oefening wat verskillende vaardighede en strategieë verg. Die regering is nie in staat om die stryd om dienste te lewer, op sy eie te stry nie. Wat vereis word, is samewerking van die kant van verskillende rolspelers wat hul onderskeie en unieke vermoëns inspan. Vennootskappe tussen die plaaslike owerheid, organisasies binne die burgerlike samelewing en die private sektor kan ’n effektiewe alternatiewe model vir dienslewering wees. Die studie is dus ook gerig op die verbetering van vennootskappe tussen die plaaslike owerheid, die burgerlike samelewing en die sakelewe in Imizamo Yethu. Terwyl vele organisasies binne die burgerlike samelewing en sakelewe en plaaslike regeringsdepartemente reeds by dienslewering en ontwikkeling in Imizamo Yethu betrokke is, tree hierdie organisasies afsonderlik op. Hul geïsoleerdheid maak dit haas onmoontlik om die uitdagings verbonde aan dienslewering die hoof te bied. Vennootskap tussen die plaaslike owerheid, die burgerlike samelewing en die private sektor kan egter samewerking bewerkstellig om omstandighede binne die besondere gemeenskap te verlig. Forums waarbinne samewerking tussen die plaaslike owerheid, die burgerlike gemeenskap en die sakelewe moontlik is, behoort dus geskep te word. Sulke forums kan die ontwikkeling van ’n strategie vir dienslewering en die verspreiding van inligting aanhelp. Die studie het die vlak van dienslewering en vennootskap in Imizamo Yethu ondersoek. ’n Gebrek aan dienslewering sowel as aan vennootskap tussen die plaaslike owerheid, naamlik die Stad Kaapstad, die burgerlike samelewing en die private sektor is gevind. Die voorstel is dat die Stad Kaapstad dienslewering aan die gemeenskap instel, tesame met ‘n inligtingstrategie wat daarop gemik is om die gemeenskap oor sodanige dienslewering in te lig.