A resident of Slovo Park informal settlement in Mdantsane, a suburb of East London, who prefers to remain anonymous.  The Municipality is planning to upgrade this informal settlement.

When asked why she was not smiling for the camera she replied,  “I can smile in my heart, not on my face”; meaning that she is proud of her informal house, but is not happy to be living in an informal settlement.

Albie Meiring, the photographer, and an urban planner for the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality says that this phrase provides a “short summary of housing delivery in the country.  This lady has been living in this area for more than 20 years in that neat place. Her son’s house in the foreground, chickens under the shade-net and her house at the back. Every square inch is under vegetables, with a neat hedge around the yard.”

Since 1992, Afesis-corplan has contributed to ensuring low income households have access to appropriate and secure land for settlement development.

Aluta Continua!