Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities - Agence ...

Abstract
In South Africa, urban development issues are essential, especially for the urban
integration of underprivileged households and settlements in the main cities. The spatial
segregation imposed by apartheid fragmented the urban environment and spatially
excluded non-white people from cities. Since 1994, the post-apartheid government,
led by the African National Congress (ANC), has developed catch-up policies for
historically disadvantaged groups, mainly in regard to service delivery: free singlefamily
houses, water, electricity. These policies have had considerable results, but the
houses have mostly been built at city fringes, which has not made it possible to spatially
integrate these populations in cities. Because spatial planning was used to establish
apartheid, planning instruments — both forward planning and regulatory processes
— are not used by public authorities to conceive urban development. This is one of the
main hindrances to integration. In addition, the production of urban areas for struggling
populations is today heavily guided by the construction of housing — essentially
small, single-family houses located in remote areas — and not coordinated with other
urban functions. Other options, such as rental housing and the in-situ upgrading of
informal settlements, are progressively being developed in order to diversify the public
housing supply. This housing-based approach does not generate integrated settlements,
and cities do not yet seem able to manage their urban development strategically, nor
do they seem able to integrate poor households. However, all government spheres seem
to be increasingly aware that it is both relevant and crucial to think about urban issues
in terms of the living environment. Many innovative projects are emerging that take into
account existing settlements and seek to produce suitable human settlements for
disadvantaged groups. This territorial approach, which relies on overall management
of the urban project, is still experimental and deserves close attention.
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Keywords: public policies, cities, integration, urban development, disadvantaged
populations, urban planning, housing, public authorities, municipalities, urban projects.
© AFD 2009 Integrating Poor Populations in South African Cities