The History Of Backyard Dwelling

Introduction

Home-ownership is regarded by many as an important aspect in enhancing the quality of life that people enjoy (Arimah 1997, 105). It brings about notions of respect and dignity into a person’s life. Moreover, access to shelter remains a fundamental aspect of human life and existence. All these factors come into consideration when looking at land invasion and unlawful occupation

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Backyard Dwelling

A background

Informal shacks constructed in the in the backyards of formal housing rose to prominence in the 1970s. This was brought out by the housing policies and practices prevalent at the time. Until the late 1960s the apartheid state had taken on the responsibility to provide housing for migrant workers in the cities. These migrant workers were housed in council-owned housing in the townships and hostels. However, the great majority of migrant workers were not accommodated by these provisions. The exclusion of other workers in these housing provisions was to discourage the vast majority of the black populace from living permanently in the city (Crankshaw, Gilbert and Morris 2000, 842-843). A demand for housing was greatly increased when the state ceased from providing housing for migrant workers in the 1960s. This demand was met by the emergence of backyard rentals.

Backyard rentals became the only form of accommodation in the 1970s and 1980s. Although subletting was illegal the state seemed to turn a blind eye to it when they still had enforcement control over the townships. This practice went on until the state no longer had control over the townships in the late 1980s (Crankshaw et al. 2000, 843).

About 20% of Soweto’s population is estimated to be backyard dwellers, this is over 200 000 Crankshaw 845

Until the ...

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... stand, 12 percent live in a traditional dwelling and 10 percent live in a backyard shack. Seri 27

Reference List

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Marx C and Rubin M (2008) The effect of land titling on low income communities. Study completed for Un-Habitat and The Norwegian Government.

Nkuna T (2010) Towards sustainable housing allocation process in South Africa: Case study of Kliptown. CORUS Research Network presentation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 4 February.

Lemanski, C. 2009. Augmented informality: South Africa’s backyard dwellings as a by-product of formal housing policies. Accessed From http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197397509000289 on 28 May 2014.