Informal settlements fulfill the human right to live on the land and transform informal possession into formal property, but in a reality built around economy, lack the support they need to improve the well-being and quality of life for the residents. The townships of Cape Town, Africa, sprawl across the land. Iconic to the neighborhoods, blue portable toilets are dispersed to make up for the lack of plumbing. Adjacent to the road, more substantial toilets develop. The main road is the connective artery to the area, though most of the land is porous. This gives way to a few cars and to two connective branches that extend into the settlements. While the settlements act to give self-help access to living, what role does the government have in ensuring beneficial public infrastructure?
