A typical South African township area, as seen from the N2 motorway.
For those accustomed to freeways being a pedestrian-free zone, South Africa takes some getting used to. People are always walking by the side of the freeway–riding bikes, playing soccer, crossing multi-lane freeways in full traffic. The townships were deliberately located on the outskirts of town, with few commercial services or jobs. Their impoverished residents have to find cheap ways to get back and forth, and walking along the freeway is sometimes the only way.
The South African government is trying to build new housing for the townships, but the need is huge. As an interim step, the authorities bring water and electricity to the existing shacks. When the services don’t appear quickly enough, you might find yourself with a full-fledged riot on your hands, turning settlements into no-go zones and shutting down nearby motorways.
The new demands on infrastructure will require South Africa to double its electricity generation in less than a decade, and find the additional water somewhere in this dry continent. And you thought you had problems.
