Five million South Africans live in squatter settlements

About five million South Africans live in the 1.066 informal settlements which are spread across the country. Answering a question in Parliament, Housing Minister Bridgitte Mabandla said that 1.376.706 households officially reside in these settlements.

The highest concentration of informal settlements was found in Gauteng which has 181 settlements containing 448.393 households. The Northern Cape has 31 settlements, the lowest number in any province. These settlements house 20.438 households.

The Eastern Cape has 179 settlements which hold 136.567 households, and KwaZulu-Natal has 162 with 177.212 households. The Free State entails 126 settlements which 147.081 households, Limpopo 57 with 56.930 households.

Mpumalanga has 90 with 92.877 households, North West has 121 with 155.501 households and the Western Cape has 119, which hold 142.706 households. (South African Press Association, Johannesburg)