Urbanisation 'a big problem'

2008-08-25 18:04

Cape Town - The massive scale of urbanisation in South Africa, which has seen millions of people move into informal settlements outside cities and towns across the country, was highlighted at a government media briefing on Monday.

Up to 5.5 million people trekked to urban areas in South Africa between 1996 and 2001 - a rate of more than a million a year.

This had resulted in "the mushrooming of almost 3 000 informal settlements", according to a statement released by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula at a justice, crime prevention and security cluster briefing in Pretoria.

"The majority of those internal migrants went to urban areas. The consequence is that Gauteng has 639 informal settlements. It is followed by KwaZulu-Natal (618) and the Eastern Cape (416).

"A study commissioned by the department of housing has revealed that between 1996 and 2001, 5.5 million people migrated across South Africa."

This "internal migration", together with a flood of illegal immigrants across South Africa's borders, posed a serious problem for law enforcement agencies.

"Both cross border and internal migrants establish themselves in informal settlements. Most of them have no jobs and live in squalor, while others are drawn into crime to make a living."

The statement further notes there is an "urgent need to define new tactics" to police South Africa's land borders.

This would involve the use of "advanced technology", including satellites, aircraft and helicopters, as well as stepping up border patrols.

"The intelligence community, working with the organised crime combating units, will identify areas of illegal crossing for the necessary intervention by the patrolling teams," it said.

- SAPA