cities

Introduction
“Inclusive“ means open to everyone, not to certain people only, and so an inclusive city values all
people and their needs equally. It is a city in which all residents – including the most vulnerable
and marginalised poor – have a representative voice in governance, planning and budgeting
processes, and have access to sustainable livelihoods, legal housing and affordable basic services,
such as water and sanitation. It is a city where people feel comfortable being citizens and have
equal participation in the city. 1
Over 20 years into democracy, it is time to recognise and respect the contribution of all South
Africans to the making of South African cities, in particular how black South Africans “can come
to legitimise a sense of cultural and economic ownership of cities as producers and not merely
consumers or workers” (Mkhize, 2015). All citizens must have a sense of belonging spatially,
socio-culturally and economically to our cities. Cities can begin t.o express and enhance this
sense of belonging through making and managing spaces and places that people can identify
strongly with and frequent freely, without fear of intimidation or being unwelcomed – this is the
way of the inclusive city.
The chapter’s main aim is to examine the nature and extent of inclusivity in South African cities,
and what this means to citizens in terms of access to opportunities and resources for the urban
poor. It explores the meaning of citizenship – what are the rights to the city and who has these
rights. It looks at who has access, such as vulnerable groups (youth, women, disabled persons,
residents and informal settlements, etc.) to the urban economy, safety, affordability and urban
integration. The chapter also uses migrants as an indicator of vulnerability and exclusion because
migration patterns, flows and mobile citizens can have major implications for city policies.
4
1 Adapted from Douglas, R. Commentary: What we mean by “inclusive cities”. http://nextcity.org/informalcity/entry/commentary-what-wemean-by-inclusive-cities,
28 January 2013.
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