One of the two most common crises to occur in informal areas are fires (man-made) which spread quickly due to house structures being built in close proximity to each other. The aftermath of these incidences is great in cost of time, resources and mental capacity of various parties. People in the community usually fear losing their spot after their home has burnt down so they sleep in the open air to keep their plot where others juggle keeping their job (usually in a location further into Cape Town) and covering their families' basic needs.

Most areas known as 'townships' began as designated areas for categorised Black and Coloured peoples to make do with under the Group Areas Act. These areas of the city were not meant for habitable living e.g. most of Philippi is built on wetlands thus even slightly heavy rainfall can cause flooding of home structures. Added hazards in these incidences include the interaction of electricity wires and water which have been known to cause deaths in the past year, as well as the cold temperatures of a winter season.