Abstract
Migrant labour hostels are estimated to provide accommodation for one million people in South Africa. Whilst there has been a strong focus on housing low-income families in the country, Umzamo is one of the few organizations that work specifically with hostel dwellers and hostel redevelopment. In partnership with hostel residents, the local and provincial authorities and technical consultants, Umzamo is playing a key role in the conversion of public hostels into family accommodation in Cape Town. This paper looks at work to support tenant involvement in hostel redevelopment in a project to provide homes for 70,000 people. The author describes the background to the project and some of Umzamo's longstanding activities within the settlement. She then examines the scope and nature of tenant involvement in the conversion project before drawing some conclusions about the future management of the converted accommodation, the role of Umzamo itself, and critical challenges to the successful realization of the hostel redevelopment.