The case of Alexandra township

103 Pages·2017·2.15 MB·English

THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF
GOVERNMENT’S URBAN RENEWAL
INITIATIVES: THE CASE OF
ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP
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By e
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Phindile Mbanjwa
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A
 mini-­‐dissertation
 submi tted
 to
 the faculty
 of Engineering
 and
 the
y
t
Built Environment, Uiniversity of Cape Town, in partial fulfilment
 of
s
r
the
 Degree
 eof
 Masters
 of
 Philosophy
 in the field of
 Urban
v
iInfrastructure
 Design
 and
 Management
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U
Supervisor: Professor Gordon Pirie
January 2018
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The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No
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quotation from it or information derived from it is to be

published without full acknowledgeement of the source.
p
The thesis is to be used for private study or non-
a
C
commercial research purposes only.

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o
Published by the Universit y of Cape Town (UCT) in terms
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of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author.
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of the
implementation of the Alexandra Renewal Programme (ARP) on the lives of
residents in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra, in South Africa. The
urban renewal project was a government initiative in collaboration with the
private sector and community-based organisations. The project aimed to
improve the physical, social and economic environments of Alexandra, a
densely-populated township whose history includes political resistance,
poverty, high levels of crime and unemployment, and yet is located adjacent
to South Africa’s successful commercial capital, Sandton. The impact of
urban renewal programmes such as the ARP has not been evaluated along
every dimension, nor recently with concerns raised about the pace of
government efforts to drive the change required. Hence, the objective of this
study was to assess the impact of the Alexandra urban renewal programme
on its residents.
Alexandra typifies the socio-economic marginalisation of black urban
neighbourhoods during the apartheid era. Nearly 500 000 people live in
approximately 100 000 households in formal and informal housing;
unemployment is estimated at 60%, and most household incomes fall below
the extreme poverty line of less than USD1 per person per day. Hence the
ARP was designed to boost job creation, promote a healthier environment,
through provision of affordable and sustainable services, such as decent
housing, roads, water supply, sanitation and other infrastructure, and to
reduce crime.
The case study was conducted using qualitative research techniques. Focus
groups were conducted with 32 residents from formal and informal
settlements in the township. Research data was analysed using thematic
content analysis.
i
As a former resident of Alexandra with a long family history in the township,
the researcher could provide a grounded and corroborative insight into the
phenomenon under study.
The research findings indicate that the implementation of the ARP
programme has been generally consistent with the designed outcomes. The
respondents indicated that the programme had some positive impact on
improved access to government facilities and services, and on some
housing and infrastructure projects. However, the participants also
expressed frustration, and indicated that they had not gained significant
benefits, especially on job creation and business opportunities. In addition,
the residents believed that more could be done on the provision of basic
services such as housing, water and sanitation. The effectiveness of
government officials responsible for the ARP was also a concern.
The study recommends that the three spheres of government (national,
provincial and local) should collaborate more to develop relevant policies
which drive urgency and effectiveness into the implementation of the urban
renewal programme (URP) in Alexandra, and in the Gauteng province in
general.
The findings of this study contribute to the broader review of URPs in South
Africa, and can assist government’s developmental structures in evaluating
the impact of these and future programmes.
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 i
DECLARATION
I declare that this mini-dissertation is my own unaided work and all the
sources that I have quoted have been acknowledged by means of complete
references. This research is submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements of the degree of Masters of Philosophy (Urban Infrastructure
Design and Management) at the University of Cape Town. It has not been
submitted before for any degree or examination at any other university.
_____________________________
PHINDILE MBANJWA
JANUARY 2018
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DEDICATION
I dedicate this achievement to my wonderful parents; my mother, Mrs
Patricia Mbanjwa, and father, Mr Cyril M. Mbanjwa, who taught me that
through hard work, commitment and perseverance I can accomplish
anything.
I further dedicate it to my daughter, Silindile Mbada, who in her many
priceless ways encouraged me.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Almighty God, for giving me strength and ensuring that my physical and
mental health remained intact during this journey.
My family, whose all-encompassing support will always be dear to me. To
my hubby Thulani, thank you for your undying support and understanding.
Thank you for staying up with me during difficult writing moments.
Thank you to my work colleagues who supported me throughout this
process and a special thank you to Setlakala Mosomane, for all your help
and encouragement.
A special thank you to Dr. Mati Nyazema, who guided me through academic
writing and taught me simple techniques of writing.
My supervisor, Professor Gordon Pirie, thank you for your valuable inputs.
Without you I would have continued to doubt myself. Thank you for your
encouragement and guidance.
Finally, thank you to the community of Alexandra who contributed to the
finalisation of my studies, by generously allowing me to conduct surveys and
interviews in their homes and for affording me their valuable time.
v
LIST OF ACRONYMS
ARP Alexandra Renewal Programme
ASGISA Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa
BRT Bus Rapid Transit
CoCT City of Cape Town
DPLG Department of Provincial & Local Government
GEAR Growth, Employment, and Redistribution Programme
GDHS Gauteng Department of Human Settlements
GJMC Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council
HDA Housing Development Agency
HSRC Human Sciences Research Council
JDA Johannesburg Development Agency
LED Local Economic Development
NDP National Development Plan
NGP New Growth Path
RDP Reconstruction and Development Programme
TMR Transformation, Modernisation and Re-industrialisation
TOD Transit Oriented Development
URP Urban Renewal Programme
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
 .......................................................................................................................................
 I

DECLARATION
 ...............................................................................................................................
 III

DEDICATION
 .................................................................................................................................
 IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 ..................................................................................................................
 V

LIST
 OF
 ACRONYMS
 ......................................................................................................................
 VI

TABLE
 OF
 CONTENTS
 ....................................................................................................................
 VII

LIST
 OF
 FIGURES
 ...........................................................................................................................
 IX

LIST
 OF
 TABLES
 .............................................................................................................................
 IX

CHAPTER
 1:
 INTRODUCTION
 ..........................................................................................................
 1

1.1
  INTRODUCTION
 ............................................................................................................................
 1

1.2
  BACKGROUND
 TO
 THE
 RESEARCH
 .....................................................................................................
 4

1.3
  PROBLEM
 STATEMENT
 ...................................................................................................................
 5

1.4
  RESEARCH
 OBJECTIVES
 ...................................................................................................................
 6

1.4.1
  Research
 questions
 ...........................................................................................................
 6

1.5
  SIGNIFICANCE
 OF
 THE
 RESEARCH
 ......................................................................................................
 7

1.6
  OUTLINE
 OF
 THE
 RESEARCH
 STUDY
 ...................................................................................................
 7

CHAPTER
 2:
 LITERATURE
 REVIEW
 ...................................................................................................
 8

2.1
  INTRODUCTION
 ............................................................................................................................
 8

2.2
  THE
 EVOLUTION
 OF
 ALEXANDRA
 TOWNSHIP
 ......................................................................................
 9

2.3
  DEFINITIONS
 OF
 URBAN
 RENEWAL
 .................................................................................................
 10

2.4
  URBAN
 RENEWAL
 RELATED
 CONCEPTS
 AND
 MODELS
 ........................................................................
 12

2.5
  THEORETICAL
 CONCEPTS
 UNDERPINNING
 URBAN
 RENEWAL
 /
 DEVELOPMENT
 ..........................................
 14

2.6
  NEOLIBERALISM,
 NEO
 MARXISM
 AND
 URBAN
 RENEWAL
 IN
 SOUTH
 AFRICA
 ...........................................
 20

2.7
  THE
 IMPACT
 OF
 URBAN
 RENEWAL
 DESIGNS
 AND
 PROGRAMMES
 .........................................................
 22

2.7.1
  Design-­‐led
 urban
 renewal
 ..............................................................................................
 23

2.7.2
  Transit
 oriented
 urban
 renewal
 ......................................................................................
 23

2.7.3
  Property
 led
 urban
 renewal
 ............................................................................................
 24

2.7.4
  Social
 housing-­‐led
 urban
 renewal
 ..................................................................................
 25

2.7.5
  Refurbishment
 or
 Rehabilitation
 Led
 Urban
 Renewal
 ....................................................
 26

2.8
  URBAN
 RENEWAL
 PROJECTS
 INTRODUCED
 IN
 ALEXANDRA
 ...................................................................
 27

2.9
  CONCLUSION
 .............................................................................................................................
 31

CHAPTER
 3:
 RESEARCH
 METHODOLOGY
 .......................................................................................
 33

3.1
  INTRODUCTION
 ..........................................................................................................................
 33

3.2
  RESEARCH
 DESIGN
 ......................................................................................................................
 33

3.3
  SUITABILITY
 OF
 THE
 QUALITATIVE
 APPROACH
 ....................................................................................
 34

3.4
  THE
 RESEARCH
 STEPS
 ..................................................................................................................
 36

3.4.1
  The
 research
 setting
 .......................................................................................................
 36

3.4.2
  The
 research
 population
 and
 sample
 for
 focus
 groups
 ..................................................
 37

3.4.3.
  Selection
 of
 sample
 ........................................................................................................
 37

3.5
  DATA
 COLLECTION
 ......................................................................................................................
 38

3.5.1
  Pilot
 study
 and
 focus
 groups
 ..........................................................................................
 39

3.5.2
  Interview
 guide
 and
 support
 questionnaire
 ...................................................................
 41

3.5.3
  Interview
 questions
 ........................................................................................................
 41

3.6
  RELIABILITY
 AND
 VALIDITY
 ............................................................................................................
 43

3.7
  DATA
 ANALYSIS
 ..........................................................................................................................
 43

3.8
  CONCLUSION
 .............................................................................................................................
 44

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CHAPTER
 4:
 RESULTS
 AND
 DISCUSSION
 ........................................................................................
 45

4.1
  INTRODUCTION
 ..........................................................................................................................
 45

4.1.1
  Thematic
 content
 analysis
 ..............................................................................................
 45

4.2
  PROFILE
 OF
 THE
 RESPONDENTS
 ......................................................................................................
 46

4.2.1
  Age
 .................................................................................................................................
 47

4.2.2
  Level
 of
 Education
 ..........................................................................................................
 48

4.2.3
  Economic
 Activity
 and
 Income
 ........................................................................................
 49

4.3
  VIEWS
 ON
 THE
 URBAN
 RENEWAL
 PROGRAMME
 ...............................................................................
 52

4.3.1
  Awareness
 of
 the
 Urban
 Renewal
 Programme
 ..............................................................
 52

4.3.2
  Benefits
 of
 the
 Urban
 Renewal
 Programme
 ...................................................................
 53

4.3.3
  Impact
 of
 the
 ARP
 ...........................................................................................................
 55

4.3.4
  Positive
 impact
 of
 ARP
 ...................................................................................................
 55

4.3.5
  Negative
 impact
 and
 challenges
 of
 the
 ARP
 ...................................................................
 57

4.4
  PROVISION
 OF
 HOUSING
 ..............................................................................................................
 57

4.5
  PROVISION
 OF
 WATER,
 SANITATION,
 HEALTH
 ....................................................................................
 60

4.6
  IMPACT
 ON
 INFRASTRUCTURE
 .......................................................................................................
 60

4.7
  IMPACT
 ON
 JOBS
 ........................................................................................................................
 61

4.8
  IMPACT
 ON
 BUSINESS
 OPPORTUNITIES
 ............................................................................................
 63

4.9
  CONSULTATION
 WITH
 RESIDENTS
 ...................................................................................................
 64

4.10
  DISCUSSION
 ............................................................................................................................
 66

4.11
  CONCLUSION
 ...........................................................................................................................
 70

CHAPTER
 5:
 CONCLUSIONS
 AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS
 ................................................................
 72

5.1
  INTRODUCTION
 ..........................................................................................................................
 72

5.2
  SUMMARY
 OF
 THE
 STUDY
 .............................................................................................................
 72

5.3
 THE
 RESEARCH
 FINDINGS
 ..................................................................................................................
 73

5.4
  THE
 MAIN
 CONCLUSIONS
 .............................................................................................................
 75

5.5
  RECOMMENDATIONS
 ..................................................................................................................
 77

5.5.1
  Development
 of
 tailor-­‐made
 policies
 .............................................................................
 77

5.5.2
  Institutionalisation
 of
 the
 Urban
 Renewal
 Programme
 .................................................
 78

5.5.3
  Public
 participation
 and
 ownership
 ................................................................................
 78

5.6
  AREAS
 FOR
 FUTURE
 RESEARCH
 ......................................................................................................
 79

5.7
  CONCLUSION
 .............................................................................................................................
 79

REFERENCES
 ................................................................................................................................
 81

APPENDIX
 1:
 SELF-­‐ANSWERED
 INTERVIEW
 FORM
 FOR
 ALEXANDRA
 RESIDENTS
 ...........................
 89

APPENDIX
 2:
 FOCUS
 GROUP
 INTERVIEW
 GUIDE
 FOR
 ALEXANDRA
 RESIDENTS
 ..............................
 92

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