Boundary Systems in Post Apartheid Urban Settlements in Cape Town

摘要

In the four-year period of negotiations leading up to the first fully democratic elections in 1994 which set in motion South Africa's transformation from the apartheid system to a nonracial democracy, land and housing were major issues in the many discussions surrounding what the new country should look like. Access to land for the previously disadvantaged, land restitution claims, and redistribution of land to reflect the demographic profile of the country featured prominently in these debates. Land tenure types and boundary systems were important issues for land surveyors at the time. Boundary proposals included fixed boundaries, general boundaries, fixed boundaries for block corners with general boundaries internal to a block, and a midpoint cadastre where dwellings were referenced to a single monument. Based on four cases studied over fourteen years in the Cape Town area, the existing system of fixed boundaries is considered appropriate. However, the manner in which land is delivered and boundaries are managed could be improved to reduce the level of conflict over boundary encroachments, and the studies provide lessons for other post-conflict situations. Although this may be difficult in violent conflict situations, it is also important that grassroots opinions on desired land tenure types and the manner in which they are formalized and symbolized are solicited when formalizing strategies for managing land tenure in a post-conflict society.