From flooding to formalization: A case study of the informal settlement of Green Park, Cape Town

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore how a formal actor, represented as the city administration in Cape Town, governs, meets and interacts with the informal settlement of Green Park, trying to find a concrete solution to a flooding problem as well as a long-term solution through formaliza-tion. In line with the shift from government to governance, the thesis illustrates the growing complexity of urban decision-making, especially in the dealings with informal settlements. By using a qualitative case study approach, the study examines in-depth the interactions and communications between various relevant actors. The main findings from this study suggests that horizontal and vertical disconnections between various actors in the urban decision management network have resulted in the actors' differing perceptions and understandings of what the implemented projects are. Moreover, the study argues that a growing involvement of a wide range of actors suggests a blurring of the perceived formal-informal divide in the urban decision-making.