By Priya Ranchod
The City of Johannesburg has taken a significant step towards improving living conditions in informal settlements following Council's approval of the Informal Settlements Policy on 30 September 2026.
The landmark policy establishes a clear framework to guide the development and upgrading of informal settlements across the city, with a strong focus on coordinated service delivery, community participation and long term sustainable development.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Human Settlements, Councillor Mlungisi Mabaso, welcomed the adoption of the policy, describing it as a major milestone for residents who have long faced service delivery challenges and fragmented development efforts.
Mabaso said the policy marks the beginning of a new chapter for informal settlements and will enable the City to better coordinate development initiatives in these communities. He added that Johannesburg is the first municipality in South Africa to introduce a policy of this nature, creating a model that could benefit generations to come as the City works to improve the lives of residents living in informal settlements.
The policy is guided by several key principles, including improving quality of life through the provision of basic services, integrating informal settlements with neighbouring townships, promoting meaningful community participation and implementing an incremental approach to settlement upgrading.
One of the policy's key interventions is the profiling and enumeration of residents living in informal settlements. Every household will be assigned a unique number, creating an accurate record of occupancy and helping to prevent the practice of individuals occupying or owning multiple shacks in different locations.
The Department of Human Settlements in each region will also enter into a social compact with communities, outlining the responsibilities, expectations and commitments of all stakeholders involved in the development process.
In addition, detailed layout plans will be developed for settlements to identify community facilities, environmental considerations, business opportunities, access routes and future service requirements. This approach is expected to support more organised and sustainable development in informal areas.
The policy also seeks to strengthen tenure security through the implementation of the City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme of 2018, revised in 2024. This framework allows for the establishment of Transitional Residential Settlement Areas and the issuing of temporary permits to qualifying residents.
Under the new policy, an informal settlement will be formally recognised by the City once it has been profiled or enumerated and all relevant settlement information has been recorded.
Mabaso said the policy represents a bold commitment to transforming informal settlements into integrated and thriving communities while ensuring residents receive the support, services and opportunities needed to improve their quality of life.
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