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The Resilience of South African Cities a Decade after Local Democracy

Author

Listed:
  • Ivan Turok

    (Human Sciences Research Council, Private Bag X9182, Cape Town 8000, South Africa)

Abstract

South Africa emerged from a cataclysm two decades ago to experience a stable democratic transition during which the local government system was transformed. The creation of large metropolitan municipalities was intended to accelerate socioeconomic development and urban restructuring in order to overcome the legacy of segregation and exclusion. This paper assesses their achievements, ten years on, using the concept of resilience as the analytical frame. Resilience helps to examine cities as interconnected systems open to external influences but with some capacity for self-organisation and learning. It is useful for exploring the coexistence of urban continuity and change. Evidence shows that the responses of South Africa city authorities to globalisation, urbanisation, and democracy have been circumscribed. Continuity and incremental change have been more evident than transformation and development. Hesitant progress exposes cities to the risk of greater social instability. Insights from resilience theory support the idea that enhanced municipal capabilities could facilitate a more enduring outcome.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivan Turok, 2014. "The Resilience of South African Cities a Decade after Local Democracy," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(4), pages 749-769, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:46:y:2014:i:4:p:749-769
    DOI: 10.1068/a4697
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Judy L. Baker, 2012. "Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Urban Poor : Cities Building Resilience for a Changing World," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6018.
    2. Aron, Janine & Kahn, Brian & Kingdon, Geeta (ed.), 2009. "South African Economic Policy under Democracy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199551460.
    3. Ben Fine, 2012. "Assessing South Africa's New Growth Path: framework for change?," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(134), pages 551-568, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ockert Pretorius & Ernst Drewes & Mariske van Aswegen & Gerard Malan, 2021. "A Policy Approach towards Achieving Regional Economic Resilience in Developing Countries: Evidence from the SADC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-21, March.
    2. van Aswegen, Mariske & Retief, Francois Pieter, 2020. "The role of innovation and knowledge networks as a policy mechanism towards more resilient peripheral regions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Bradlow, Benjamin H., 2019. "Weapons Of The Strong: Elite Resistance And The Neo-Apartheid City," SocArXiv g5y3b, Center for Open Science.
    4. Tazviona Richman Gambe & Hermanus Stephanus Geyer & Anele Horn, 2022. "Economic Resilience of City‐Regions in Southern Africa: An Exploratory Study of Zimbabwe," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(2), pages 438-455, April.
    5. Lungile Ntsalaze & Sylvanus Ikhide, 2018. "Rethinking Dimensions: The South African Multidimensional Poverty Index," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 195-213, January.

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