Diepsloot shares many economic characteristics of South African townships such as joblessness, uneven access to basic public services, and overwhelming levels of crime and violence but in some respect it is atypical – newer, poorer, more informal and has a bigger proportion of foreign migrants. Over the same period, there has been a massive growth of informal settlements. However, these townships were often built as far, if not farther, than the original apartheid townships. Post-apartheid development policies led to the construction of townships filled with government housing and limited access to some social services.

Under apartheid, black people were forced to live in the dormitory-style townships that were built as far away as possible from economic city centers. It further finds that national interventions need to be complemented by local interventions to create jobs and improve service delivery. The study focuses on economic activity in T&IS using specially commissioned household and business surveys conducted in Diepsloot, and suggests interventions townships and informal settlements need to be embedded in a holistic, integrated national economic and urban strategy.

“We hope this study will help promote evidence based analysis and policy making on this important matter.” “Addressing the spatial inequalities in the country, reflected in the townships, is essential to improving the lives of people,” said Asad Alam, World Bank Group country director for South Africa.

Democratic Republic of Congo - Français.

South africa township population