Informal structures in Cape Town have increased by 67% in nine years

New data released by the City reveals a 67% increase in the number of informal structures in Cape Town over the past nine years.

The City’s latest Spatial Trends and Implementation Tracking report gives an overview of development and land use patterns in Cape Town from 2012 to 2026.

According to the document, the number of informal structures rose from 169 330 in 2016 to 283 379 in 2025.

The mapped footprint of areas of informality also expanded significantly. It grew by roughly 1 900 hectares, from about 1 200 hectares to more than 3 100 hectares.

“The scale of informal settlement growth has increased substantially since 2016,” the report says.

The figures highlight the growing scale of informal housing across the metro, as well as the amount of land occupied by these settlements.

It is important to note that this excludes areas of unlawful land occupation. The 283 379 figure is therefore not necessarily a complete count of all informal structures in Cape Town.

Informal housing growth concentrated in key areas

The report identifies clusters of informal settlements along major transport routes, including the N2, N1 and N7.

These are generally located within or close to lower-income communities.

Wallacedene, Delft, Gugulethu, Dunoon and the Khayelitsha/Mitchells Plain area are among the locations with particularly high densities of informal structures.

Several districts have also experienced notable growth.

In the Northern District, the number of informal structures increased significantly after 2021. Wallacedene and Klipheuwel were identified as areas showing clear growth.

In the Helderberg District, Macassar, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Lwandle and Nomzamo have also seen increases.

Pressure on land and infrastructure

The City warns that areas of informality sometimes occupy land unsuitable or unsafe for residential development.

These include biodiversity areas, floodplains, wetlands, road and rail reserves, and land affected by airport noise contours.

The report also highlights the relationship between informal settlement upgrading and government-subsidised housing, particularly in the metro south-east.

It notes that informal settlements can expand outwards or become more densely populated.

“Growth occurs through both outward expansion and increasing AOI (area of interest) net density,” the report states.