An informal encroachment occurs where land is occupied without any form of approval from Council. The informal encroachments are ordinarily referred to as ‘Illegal Settlements’. They are normally constructed from corrugated iron or plastic to make shacks and dwellings.

In terms of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from an Unlawful Occupation of Land Act No. 19 of 1998 (PIE Act), it is illegal to remove illegal occupiers of land without following a court process, there are court cases that have been decided in this regards. The cases stated that the state and Organs of State cannot evict people without relocating them to a safer place. Organs of State must show their support to municipalities in relocating the informal settlements. Rand Water has a proactive and reactive strategy to deal with informal settlements. The proactive strategy is to ensure that the communities who intend to encroach are stopped from achieving such. A reactive strategy is to ensure that those that are currently encroaching are removed from the servitude and relocated else with the assistance and cooperation of the landowner.