Essay On Squatter Settlements

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Squatter settlements are all existing all around the world however, they can be seen prevailing dominantly in Third World countries. They can come be community or a small collection of informal houses made from informal and unconventional building materials. Pacione (2001) describes squatter settlements as being the illegal occupation of land as well as the erection of housing that violates existing laws where occupants do not have legal rights to live in a certain place. This is a short summary of the different policy interventions measures used by governments to respond to squatter settlements. It will also look at which policies are used in South Africa and the extent of their success in addressing the problem of squatter settlements. Squatter settlements fall under unconventional housing when making reference to housing production systems (Smith, 1981). The unconventionality of squatter settlements requires the intervention of different government policies. These government policies should respond to the problem of informal settlements and possibly eradicating them. Pacione (2001) indicates that there are four main ways that government can intervene using policy measures when dealing with the presence squatter settlements in a country. These policy interventions include Indifference, Reactionary responses, Westernised responses and Innovative responses.…show more content…
Preventative measures can be seen when governments formalise migration controls and people refraction from moving into cities with the aim of kerbing rural-urban migration. Remedial measures are characterised by forced removals and forced relocations. Pacione highlights that governments defend and justify such removals with the points of urban development and increasing aesthetic value of a city, redevelopment of land for activities that generate a profit for the city and lastly as a means to reduce crime ad health

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