[...] The paper describes the situation in which the country was after several decades of Apartheid policy. It focuses especially on the problematic issue of housing. The introduction outlines the Urban Development Strategy with its goals and visions as well as its direct criticism. Subsequent to that, the discussion emphasizes the two main issues urban development planning is confronted with namely housing and infrastructure. After that there follows a short chapter on the problematic situation of implementing theory. The final part of the discussion not only concludes and summarises the main aspects, but presents a possible outlook for future urban development in the South African context.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Urban Reality during and after Apartheid
2.1. General Situation
2.2. Housing and Infrastructure
3. The Urban Development Strategy
3.1. Prologue, Vision and Goals
3.2. Criticism
4. Housing
4.1. Policy and Implementation
4.2. Criticism and Comparison to Chile
5. Infrastructure
5.1. Policy and Implementation
5.2. Criticism
6. Problems of Applying Theory
7. Conclusion and Outlook
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the efficacy of the South African Government of National Unity's "Urban Development Strategy" (UDS) in addressing post-apartheid urban challenges. It investigates whether the strategic goals set for the year 2020 are realistic or if they have exacerbated societal fragmentation through inadequate housing and infrastructure policies.
- Evaluation of post-apartheid urban reality and spatial planning.
- Analysis of housing policy implementation and its socio-economic impacts.
- Comparison of housing strategies with the Chilean model.
- Assessment of infrastructure development and its relation to affordability.
- Critique of applying global modernist planning theories to local contexts.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. Housing and Infrastructure
Housing in an urban context has always been a difficult task to manage by local authorities in especially rapidly expanding Third World countries.
The Apartheid Regime in South Africa addressed those quests by enforcing the Group Area Act of 1950. Africans had to live in rural homelands (Bantustans), remote from the metropolitan regions (Spiegel 1999: 57). These group areas as well as the planned townships were strategically created in peripheral areas to further enhance the marginalisation of these specific racial groups. Urban arrangements and living were directed by policies that segregated racial groups. This “residential segregation [...] entailed inferior housing and services, and often inconvenient locations in relation to sources of employment” (Smith 2003: 28). Therefore the “access to adequate housing, land, water, electricity, transportation and other urban services was limited for the majority of the population” (SIDA I). Buffer zones where established to diminish contact between the different ethnic groups and enhance the fragmentation and separation of cities.
After realising that the developing illegal settlements were approaching the city, the government introduced planned townships, in which public rental houses should be built in mass construction. It demonstrated a simple way of regulating and controlling urban residents (Spiegel 1999: 57). Another option to satisfy the need of a work force without further migration to the urban areas was the establishment of single-sex hostels, in which mainly male workers resided. These legislations by the Apartheid Regime demonstrated a type of continuity from colonial practice (Spiegel 1999: 57). The destruction of township communities was also a common practice in the reality of Apartheid urban planning if the valuable grounds were to be used differently.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the policy approach of the Government of National Unity regarding metropolitan South Africa and outlines the paper's critical examination of the 2020 urban development goals.
2. Urban Reality during and after Apartheid: Discusses the historical legacy of spatial segregation and the economic challenges inherent in the diverse residential landscape of the 1990s.
3. The Urban Development Strategy: Outlines the government's vision for competitive, efficient cities and summarizes the strategic goals established for 2020.
4. Housing: Examines the implementation of housing policies, focusing on mass delivery programs, and critiques them through a comparison with Chilean urban planning.
5. Infrastructure: Details the service provision strategies for water, electricity, and sanitation, analyzing the impacts of cost-recovery models on low-income communities.
6. Problems of Applying Theory: Explores the difficulties in transplanting international modernist planning theories into specific local cultural and social contexts.
7. Conclusion and Outlook: Synthesizes the failure of previous strategies to address poverty and suggests that future development requires a fundamental shift in political and social approaches.
Keywords
Urban Development, South Africa, Apartheid, Housing Policy, Infrastructure, Spatial Segregation, Government of National Unity, Urban Anthropology, Poverty, Public Policy, Chile, Socio-economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Urban Planning, Metropolises
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The paper evaluates the effectiveness of South Africa's Urban Development Strategy (UDS) in managing the challenges of urban growth and inequality in the post-apartheid era.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the legacy of apartheid spatial planning, housing delivery policies, infrastructure provision, the implementation of international planning theories, and the growing divide between social classes.
What is the main research question of the author?
The author questions whether the development goals set for 2020 are realistic or if they represent idealistic fantasies that fail to address the actual economic and spatial realities of South African cities.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a policy analysis approach, combining literature reviews, critical discourse analysis of government documents (UDS), and a comparative case study with Chile.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body treats the history of housing under apartheid, the objectives of the current national strategy, the critique of service delivery models, and the theoretical frictions in policy implementation.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Urban Development, Spatial Segregation, Housing Policy, Post-Apartheid South Africa, and Urban Infrastructure.
How did the Apartheid regime manage urban space compared to the new government?
The Apartheid regime used the Group Area Act and forced migration to create peripheral townships. The current government attempts to create integrated, competitive cities, though the paper argues this often fails to overcome inherited spatial segregation.
What specific criticism is raised regarding the "full cost recovery" model?
The author notes that this model, applied to infrastructure, forces the poorest households to pay for basic services they cannot afford, leading to disconnections and a worsening of living conditions for the marginalized.
Why is the Chilean case study included?
The Chilean study is used to demonstrate how different political regimes used housing as an instrument for political legitimacy and to highlight the risks of neglecting long-term social goals in favor of short-term construction statistics.
- Quote paper
- Anna Ihle (Author), 2008, Urban Development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/123939
