Du Toit, Nerina (2009-12)
Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the issue of informal settlement fires, specifically in Kayamandi a
township of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape province of South Africa. The study aims to
identify the relevant role-players involved in addressing the issue and to understand the
unique dynamics involved in this type of fires at the local level context. The study
illuminates the main contextual factors that contribute to the perpetuation of informal
settlement sprawl in South Africa and that relates to the risk and vulnerability experienced by
informal settlement dwellers.
A qualitative research approach was followed and a triangulation of data collection methods
was used, combined with a relatively broad literature study to capture the complexity of the
related issues. The contextual focus includes the macro-economic factors that contribute to
the environment in which informal settlement fires occur, and furthermore, developmental,
economic, political and social aspects and the related experience of poverty, urbanisation and
It was found that the theoretical underpinning of both the fields of Disaster Management and
Community Development are relevant for analysis and addressing the research questions.
Furthermore, that a relationship exists between the Disaster Management, Development and
Community Development fields. This is particularly evident in Disaster Management policy
and planning as related to prevention, mitigation, and public participation, such as community
involvement in Community-Based Risk Assessments.
Key findings suggest that local government in the demarcated study area has great influence
on how the problem of informal settlement fires is addressed. From national to local
municipality level, the State plays the largest role in addressing the issue and takes the
responsibility for addressing informal settlement fires as part of disaster management
mandates prescribed in legislation.
The local government agenda as influenced by Disaster Management legislation include
efforts related to awareness, education and training focused on Kayamandi as an informal
settlement community and can be considered community development initiatives. This
further relates to the view taken in the thesis that informal settlement fires are a social issue
and not only an operational issue. Therefore the broad social, economic and political context
and history were included and it was shown that the ‘problem’ of informal settlement fires is
part of a greater developmental context and related processes.
A variety of community development theories were chosen as a useful framework for analysis
in this study and to approach issues of risk and vulnerability on a community level. It also
presents a conceptual framework for including both non-governmental stake-holders and the
affected community as role-players.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die kwessie van vure in informele nedersettings en spesifiek in
Kayamandi, ‘n informele nedersetting van Stellenbosch in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-
Afrika. Die doel van die studie is om die relevante rolspelers te identifiseer wat betrokke is by
die aanspreek van die kwessie en om die unieke dinamika van vure in hierdie plaaslike
konteks te verstaan. Hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikste kontekstuele faktore wat
bydra tot die uitbreiding van informele nedersettings in Suid-Afrika en wat verband hou met
die risiko en kwesbaarheid van inwoners van informele nedersettings.
‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg en ‘n triangulasie van dataversamelingsmetodes
is in hierdie studie gebruik. Dit is met ‘n relatief breë literatuur-studie
gekombineer om die kompleksiteit van die verwante kwessies weer te gee. Die konteksuele
fokus sluit in makro-ekonomiese faktore wat bydrae tot ‘n omgewing waarin informele
nedersettingsbrande voorkom, en voorts, ontwikkelings-, ekonomiese-, politieke- en sosiale
aspekte, sowel as die verwante ervaring van armoede, verstedeliking en werkloosheid.
Daar is bevind dat die teoretiese begronding van beide die velde van Rampbestuur en
Gemeenskapsontwikkeling relevant is vir ontleding en om die navorsingsvrae te kan
beantwoord en dat daar ‘n verhouding tussen Rampbestuur, Ontwikkeling en meer spesifiek
Gemeenskapsontwikkeling bestaan. Dit kom veral na vore in Rampbestuurbeleid en -
beplanning soos van toepassing op voorkoming, mitigasie en publieke deelname.
Van die belangrikste bevindinge suggereer dat die plaaslike regering in die gegewe studie die
grootste invloed het oor hoe die probleem van brande in informele nedersettings aangespreek
word. Van nasionale tot plaaslike vlakke neem die Staat die verantwoordelikheid vir die
aanspreek van informele nedersettingsbrande, soos vervat in mandate wat deur rampbestuur
wetgewing bepaal word. Die plaaslike regering se agenda soos bepaal deur Rampbestuur
wetgewing bevat gemeenskapsontwikkelingsidees oor deelname en inklusiewe beplanning,
bewusmaking, opvoeding en spesifieke opleidingsinitiatiewe wat op Kayamandi afgestem is.
Dit sluit verder aan by die siening, soos geneem in die tesis, dat informele
nedersettingsbrande meer as net ‘n operasionele kwessie is, maar ook ‘n sosiale dimensie
insluit. Om hierdie rede word die breër sosiale, ekonomiese, politieke en historiese konteks in
die studie ingesluit, soos wat dit op die ‘probleem’ van informele nedersettingsbrande as deel
van die groter ontwikkelingskonteks en prosesse dui.
‘n Verskeidenheid van gemeenskapontwikkelingsteorieë is as ‘n bruikbare raamwerk
geselekteer vir ontleding en as ‘n benadering om risiko en kwesbaarheid op gemeenskapsvlak
aan te spreek. Dit bied ook ‘n konsepsuele raamwerk om beide nie-regeringsrolspelers en die
geaffekteerde gemeenskap ook as rolspelers in te kan sluit.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2641