From shacks to houses : space usage and social change in a Western Cape shanty town

Yose, Constance Nontobeko

From shacks to houses : space usage and social change in a Western Cape shanty town

Master Thesis

1999

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Social Anthropology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The objective of the study is to look at the social impact of development in relation to the relocation of people from an informal settlement to a formal settlement. This is demonstrated by illustrating how the context and flexibility of space influences the social and economic life of people. I show how the spatial flexibility with in, and the context of, an informal settlement enabled people to strategise around their living environment for their survival and well being. This contrasts with the disruption and disturbance to social and economic life in the formal settlement to which they were relocated. Evidence for my argument emerges from ﬁeldwork carried out in the Western Cape between March and June 1997, firstly in the Marconi Beam informal settlement and secondly amongst the same people in their new formal settlement, Joe Slovo Park.

Description

Includes bibliography.

Keywords

Social Anthropology

Reference:

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Masters

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