Upgrading and low-income housing initiatives: Indicating their value to the people of Freedom Square, Bloemfontein

Abstract

Since 1990, hundreds of informal settlements have grown rapidly around cities throughout South Africa as a result of the changing political context, poverty and the enormous housing backlog. The impact of this uncontrolled urbanisation became apparent in the fact that hundreds of thousands of poor people had to make a living with limited access to running water, electricity and formal housing. This article explores the development experiences, needs and expectations of the residents of Freedom Square – previously Bloemfontein's largest informal settlement and home to 17 200 people – over a period of 8 years. This is approached by means of a comparative overview of four surveys (1990, 1993, 1995 and 1997), all relating to the social impact of upgrading-orientated and low-income housing initiatives within the study community.