“One in five urban South Africans live in undignified conditions.”

On 17 August 2017 Isandla Institute launched a planning for informality app that can be used by the public to find out how their metropolitan municipality is responding to informal settlements. The app allows you to see how your metro is performing in relation to a number of indicators (such as “does the metro have an upgrading informal settlement strategy?” and “does the municipal budget align with the targets for upgrading informal settlements?”); and also to compare how your metro is performing relative to other metros in relation to the upgrading of informal settlements.

In their analysis of the data and plans relating to informal settlements and backyard shacks, Isandla Institute concludes that cities are adopting strategies for informal settlements in line with national government targets, but there is a general lack of alignment of these strategies with actual municipal budgets and implementation plans.

The app draws on public data available from each metro.  Isandla plans to update the data and analysis on an annual basis so as to track the extent to which the metro is achieving its upgrading targets and responding to informality.