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Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town

A significant factor in the growth of cities is the development of informal settlements. Informal settlements are associated with negative socio-economic factors such as unemployment and a lack of secure land tenure. Over one billion people live in such settlements all around the world, and conseque...

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Main Author: Fisher, Toufeeq
Other Authors: Singh, Kaveer
Format: Thesis
Language:Eng
Published: School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author Fisher, Toufeeq
author2 Singh, Kaveer
author_browse Fisher, Toufeeq
Singh, Kaveer
author_facet Singh, Kaveer
Fisher, Toufeeq
author_sort Fisher, Toufeeq
collection Thesis
description A significant factor in the growth of cities is the development of informal settlements. Informal settlements are associated with negative socio-economic factors such as unemployment and a lack of secure land tenure. Over one billion people live in such settlements all around the world, and consequently, informal settlers are exposed to the effects of negative socio- economic factors. This research focuses on understanding how informal settlements develop within the City of Cape Town using spatial metrics. By understanding the development, informed steps can be taken to improve the quality-of-life informal dwellers are exposed to. The development of three informal settlements was monitored: Imizamo Yethu, Langa and Siqalo. Initially, machine learning techniques were used to determine the current development, complexity, and compactness of informal housing within settlements. High-resolution imagery was used to classify shacks in the targeted informal settlements. An accuracy assessment was conducted to validate any subsequent analysis that was completed from classified imagery. The overall accuracies ranged between 88-96%. Thereafter, change detection analysis would be used to understand how each informal settlement developed and would be compared to each other. Using the combination of change detection, linear regression, and ordinary least squares analysis across the selected informal settlements, results from this study showed that the major development characteristic was the densification of shacks. This densification followed along major formal and external transport routes, as well as informal and internal transport networks. Densification was also heavily driven by open space. There were also individual and unique internal development dynamics in each informal settlement. These were driven by slopes, employment opportunities, and neighbouring income areas. The most statistically significant factor that influenced development across all the informal settlements was open space. This was determined through ordinary least squares.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language Eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:42.829Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
publisherStr School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39524 Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town Fisher, Toufeeq Singh, Kaveer Engineering A significant factor in the growth of cities is the development of informal settlements. Informal settlements are associated with negative socio-economic factors such as unemployment and a lack of secure land tenure. Over one billion people live in such settlements all around the world, and consequently, informal settlers are exposed to the effects of negative socio- economic factors. This research focuses on understanding how informal settlements develop within the City of Cape Town using spatial metrics. By understanding the development, informed steps can be taken to improve the quality-of-life informal dwellers are exposed to. The development of three informal settlements was monitored: Imizamo Yethu, Langa and Siqalo. Initially, machine learning techniques were used to determine the current development, complexity, and compactness of informal housing within settlements. High-resolution imagery was used to classify shacks in the targeted informal settlements. An accuracy assessment was conducted to validate any subsequent analysis that was completed from classified imagery. The overall accuracies ranged between 88-96%. Thereafter, change detection analysis would be used to understand how each informal settlement developed and would be compared to each other. Using the combination of change detection, linear regression, and ordinary least squares analysis across the selected informal settlements, results from this study showed that the major development characteristic was the densification of shacks. This densification followed along major formal and external transport routes, as well as informal and internal transport networks. Densification was also heavily driven by open space. There were also individual and unique internal development dynamics in each informal settlement. These were driven by slopes, employment opportunities, and neighbouring income areas. The most statistically significant factor that influenced development across all the informal settlements was open space. This was determined through ordinary least squares. 2024-04-30T13:06:02Z 2024-04-30T13:06:02Z 2023 2024-04-19T12:56:21Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39524 Eng application/pdf School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
spellingShingle Engineering
Fisher, Toufeeq
Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
title_full Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
title_fullStr Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
title_full_unstemmed Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
title_short Geospatial Analysis of Informal Settlement Development in Cape Town
title_sort geospatial analysis of informal settlement development in cape town
topic Engineering
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39524
work_keys_str_mv AT fishertoufeeq geospatialanalysisofinformalsettlementdevelopmentincapetown