Sibulele Ncalo

To outsiders, Alexandra’s dense mix of formal houses, backyard shacks, subdivided rooms, and improvised extensions may appear chaotic or dysfunctional. Yet closer examination reveals an adaptive system in which courtyards, passages, and extensions balance privacy with communal life. This fabric embodies what AbdouMaliq Simone calls “people as infrastructure,” where social ties and improvisation substitute for absent formal provision. In this sense, architecture is not merely a response to material scarcity but also an expression of cultural obligation, kinship, and resilience.