"The publication comes at a time when South Africa is grappling with issues of land, redress and possible legislative amendments in the face of poverty, inequality and exclusion. The effects of these living conditions are borne by the poorest of the poor, many of whom live in urban informal dwellings.

For over twenty years, shack dweller communities linked to the Federation of the Urban and Rural Poor (FEDUP) have recognised that an amendment in formal rights does not necessarily guarantee improved living conditions. In response, these urban poor communities have been organising themselves to engage the state to ensure incremental solutions to land, shelter, livelihood and tenure. 

This publication narrates the experiences of informal settlement communities who, together with FEDUP and the Informal Settlement Network (ISN), have sought formalised partnerships with cities and municipalities.

It asks: what are the ingredients for a people’s led approach to building effective partnerships with local governments, specifically around informal settlement upgrading?" 

Click here to view the full article, as sourced from the SA SDI Alliance blog on 30 November 2018.

A copy of the publication can be downloaded below.

For more information on the publication, contact Yolande Hendler at CORC on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +27 21 689 9408.