Witsand Informal Settlement: Building resilient urban communities though innovation and partnership

The document details a resilience-building project in the Witsand informal settlement, where GreenCape, ThinkWifi, and community leaders co-designed solar street lights that provide both area lighting and internet connectivity. This initiative utilizes an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to provide interim services in an area characterized by a lack of formal tenure and inadequate basic services. The project aims to improve safety, close the digital divide, and foster local economic empowerment, particularly in the context of South Africa's load shedding challenges.

• The Witsand informal settlement, located 40km from Cape Town's CBD with 4,689 residents, suffers from a lack of formal tenure, insufficient public facilities, and inadequate basic services.
• Community data indicates significant socio-economic distress in Witsand, with 38% unemployment and up to 80% of school-age children (0-18) not attending school.
• Residents identified area lighting and internet connectivity as their most urgent energy-related needs, partly because households spend approximately 10% of their income on data and cellphone costs.
• A partnership between GreenCape, ThinkWifi, and community leaders resulted in the deployment of solar-powered street lights that integrate wifi hotspots, providing free uncapped internet and improved safety.
• The project utilizes an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, which focuses on mobilizing existing community assets to create an interim service delivery model that does not compete with traditional services.
• The integration of solar lighting and wifi has supported the emergence of micro-businesses that can remain open after hours, especially during South Africa's load shedding periods.

APA

GreenCape (2020). Witsand Informal Settlement: Building resilient urban communities though innovation and partnership. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Witsand_29_6_20-3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Witsand Informal Settlement: Building resilient urban communities though innovation and partnership. 2020. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Witsand_29_6_20-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Witsand Informal Settlement: Building resilient urban communities though innovation and partnership |date=2020 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Witsand_29_6_20-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2020witsand, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Witsand Informal Settlement: Building resilient urban communities though innovation and partnership}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2020}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GreenCape_Resilience_Case_Study_Witsand_29_6_20-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }