Amnesty International South Africa has accused the government of failing millions of people living in informal settlements, where floods continue to destroy homes, livelihoods and dignity.
In its new report, “Flooded and Forgotten: Informal Settlements and the Rights to Housing in South Africa”, the organisation says more than 5-million residents remain at risk due to:
- inadequate housing;
- poor disaster management; and
- worsening climate conditions.
The report, launched on Tuesday at Constitutional Hill, Johannesburg, highlights how communities in Johannesburg, eThekwini and Cape Town are bearing the brunt of recurring floods, often without help from the state.
Siphesihle Madonsela from Freedom Park, Johannesburg, described how each heavy rainfall brings fear and loss. “We have no help from anyone. We have to stay and fix our homes after each rainfall.”
According to Amnesty, many informal settlements are built on flood-prone land where residents live in makeshift homes with no drainage systems, sanitation or reliable access to water and electricity. When floods strike, people lose everything, from their belongings to their sense of safety.
In KwaZulu-Natal, residents who were displaced by the 2022 floods said they are still living in temporary structures nearly three years later. Some of those who were moved to new areas died this year when their relocation sites were also hit by flooding.
Palesa Mashinini, who lives in KwaZulu-Natal, said: “When floods hit, our children cannot go to school and the roads flood, making it difficult for even ambulances to come fetch sick people.”
In Cape Town, families in low-lying areas face repeated losses. Residents said they have grown used to patching up damaged homes with plastic sheets and wooden boards, as city officials rarely visit after floods.
“We sleep with our clothes on during winter because we know the water can come in at any time,” said a Khayelitsha resident.
Amnesty International South Africa’s executive director, Shenilla Mohamed, said these conditions violate the right to adequate housing and dignity guaranteed in South Africa’s constitution.
“The government is failing the millions of people trapped in these underserved areas, especially in a time when economic hardships and poverty are rife,” she said. “People live in informal settlements because there is a lack of affordable housing or because they need to live close to work opportunities.”
The report points out that the climate crisis is worsening the situation, with heavier and more frequent rainfall leading to increased flooding. Yet Amnesty found that local municipalities rarely classify seasonal flooding in informal settlements as disasters warranting urgent response.
Despite existing legislation such as the Disaster Management Act and the National Disaster Management Framework, the report says South Africa’s response remains “patchy and piecemeal”, with little preparation or recovery support.
We are urging all affected residents to remain patient and allow the processes to unfold as planned and not interfere with ongoing work on the ground, as this may delay progress,” said Maluleka.
Amnesty has called on the government to:
- prioritise the upgrading of informal settlements;
- ensure access to essential services such as clean water and sanitation; and
- integrate disaster risk reduction into urban planning.
“Despite strong laws and policies, implementation remains the issue. This failure comes at a huge cost to the human rights, lives and livelihoods of millions of people,” said Mohamed.
Meanwhile, the City of Tshwane says it is making progress in relocating residents from flood-prone and unsafe areas as part of its broader informal settlement upgrade programme.
In a statement on Monday, housing and human settlements MMC Aaron Maluleka said: “The city is on track to relocate 752 households to erf 1427 in Ga-Rankuwa units 23 and 25 to ensure safe, dignified and serviced stands.”
Of these, 200 households will be moved from Brengaville, an area located under Eskom servitudes and within a flood line, while another 183 families from Ga-Rankuwa View extension 1 (known as Beverly Hills) will be relocated to make way for township development and infrastructure upgrades.
“We are urging all affected residents to remain patient and allow the processes to unfold as planned and not interfere with ongoing work on the ground, as this may delay progress,” he said, adding that the relocations form part of the city’s commitment to improving living conditions, enhancing safety and promoting sustainable community growth.
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