Khayelitsha residents in Taiwan were excited to receive new building material. Image: Phiri Cawe
The government’s inability to provide the millions of South Africans living in informal settlements access to quality housing and essential services is compromising their well-being. Amnesty International South Africa, a non-governmental organisation, said this in a report released recently. It said many of these people living on flood-prone land are routinely left to their own devices, especially during severe weather conditions, even though the main responsibility for preparing for and responding to these disasters lies with the government.
Amnesty International South Africa’s report Flooded and Forgotten: Informal Settlements and the Right to Housing in South Africa examines the incidence and impact of floods, both large-scale and seasonal, caused by heavy rain, on residents of informal settlements and underserved areas in South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg, eThekwini, and Cape Town. This report documents the experiences of people living in informal settlements and other underserv
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