Informal settlements are a major urban residential form globally yet they are marginalized in planning and policymaking. As part of wider interest in geospatial technologies to inform service provision and settlement upgrading, this study demonstrates the use of freely-available satellite and spatial datasets and accessible remote sensing techniques to track the spatiotemporal dynamics of informal settlements. Focusing on Cape Town over a period of rapid urbanization between 2000 and 2020, this study identified the number, location, and spatial distribution of informal settlements across the city, and the growth and decline in built-up land over time for individual settlements. Key findings include a recent increase in informal land use in Cape Town after a period of decline in the earlier part of the study period, and evidence of the impacts of policy interventions such as settlement upgrading and resident relocation initiatives, including those associated with the N2 Gateway project. By focusing on both the ‘where’ and ‘when’ of informal settlements this study provides important evidence of spatial and temporal dynamics useful for governments and grassroots actors alike, and demonstrates the potential of an accessible method that can be implemented without significant resources or technical expertise.
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