Newsletter 139 - Households in formal backyard dwellings on the decline
Households in formal backyard dwellings have decreased significantly in number since 1996. Occupation of the dwellings by relatives and improvements to the structures, rather than their demolition, has contributed to the big drop.
Between 1996 and 2010 the number of households residing in informal backyard dwellings rose by 83% while those in formal backyard structures fell by 21%, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Formal dwellings are structures built according to approved plans while informal ones are those that do not comply with building plans.
There were more households in formal backyard dwellings than informal ones in 1996. The situation was reversed by 2010.
The number of households in informal backyard dwellings grew from 403 000 to 736 000 while those in formal ones dropped from 483 000 to 382 000.
In 2010 the number of households in informal backyard dwellings was five times higher than those in formal ones in the Western Cape, and three times higher in both the Free State and the Northern Cape.
KwaZulu-Natal was the only province with fewer residents in informal backyard dwellings than formal ones.
A 2003 study found that households residing in backyards had little security of tenure and were frequently evicted when landlords and owners upgraded their properties, or accommodated relatives. According to Stats SA, people who eat together and occupy one stand, plot, or yard — but sleep in separate structures — are regarded as one household.
The occupation of formal backyard dwellings by relatives who share resources, as well as extensions to the structures, has contributed to the decline in numbers of households living in backyard dwellings. The physical structures have not necessarily been demolished.
The increase in households in informal backyard dwellings could be explained by households on the waiting list of government housing programmes and those that do not qualify for such programmes.
- Kerwin Lebone
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