Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the terms township and location usually refers to an under-developed, racially segregated urban area, from the late 19th century until the end of apartheid, were reserved for non-whites, namely Black Africans, Coloureds and Indians.
[1][2] The term township also has a distinct legal meaning in South Africa's system of land title, which carries no racial connotations.
[3] Living conditions in the shack township settlements were poor, but they had some advantage over the other more established options, like hostels, of being cheap and largely unregulated by the apartheid-era South African Police.
Under this law, black people were evicted from properties that were in areas designated as "white only" and forced to move into segregated townships.
Separate townships were established for each of the three designated non-white race groups: black people, Coloureds, and Indians – as per the Population Registration Act, 1950.
This results in a lack of access to basic services such as sewerage, electricity, roads, and clean water, which adversely affects the residents' quality of life.
[5] Sewerage, water, and electrical infrastructure within townships are often in need of repair, resulting in a lack of sanitation due to problems with accessibility and availability.
Electricity, water, and sewerage are managed by different government departments, resulting in inefficiencies in the absence of substantial coordination at all stages of the project planning, budgeting, and implementation cycle.
[citation needed] The population of townships typically grows faster than what the infrastructure was planned for, causing overloads that result in blockages, surges, and overflows.
Some of the areas on the township peripheries or near the riverbanks do not have access to sanitation facilities because they are not connected to the formal waterborne sewerage system.
[citation needed] A consequence of inadequate pumping infrastructure and large populations is that the water pressure in the townships is very low.
[6] Most of the sub-stations are very unsecured to begin with so having so many additional wires coming from them is very dangerous for the people nearby and the kids playing in the area.
These areas are extremely dense with only tortuous, narrow access, few communal water points and banks of chemical toilets on the peripheries of the settlements.
[citation needed][7] Despite government interventions, education outcomes remain skewed, with township students continuing to under-perform.
[citation needed] This skewed distribution is mainly attributable to higher and more rapid drop-out rates among the poor, rather than to a lack of initial access to schooling.
