Newton 2013 More than twenty years after the repeal of the Group Areas Act- housing, spatial planning and urban development in post-apartheid South Africa

Editorial Overview

The article discusses the state of housing, spatial planning, and urban development in South Africa over twenty years after the repeal of the Group Areas Act, highlighting various challenges and the pursuit of innovative solutions in these sectors.

Key Developments After Repeal of the Group Areas Act

• Historical Context: Following the end of apartheid, there was heightened interest from the global academic community on South Africa's housing challenges.

• Current Challenges: Issues related to housing conditions persist, necessitating cooperative efforts from government, NGOs, and communities to improve living situations.

Public Sector Housing Initiatives

• Government Promises: Post-1994, the government aimed to build one million new houses to alleviate informal housing conditions but faced challenges in delivering on these promises.

• Subsidy System Impact: The project-linked subsidy system inadvertently reinforced spatial segregation and social inequality, as most houses were built on city peripheries, limiting access to employment and services.

• Policy Adjustments: Recent policies have attempted to incorporate community needs, enhance participation, and prioritize vulnerable groups, with the upgrading of informal settlements becoming a key focus.

Articles in the Special Issue

Public Sector Focus

1. Upgrading Techniques: Massey explores the technocratic approaches to upgrading informal settlements and their social impacts in Cape Town.

2. Health Outcomes: Shortt and Hammett examine health issues stemming from in situ upgrades, finding no significant health differences between formal and informal housing, although mental health outcomes vary.

3. Urban Renewal Methodologies: Donaldson et al. analyze two pilot urban renewal projects, advocating for more inclusive and informed management involving all stakeholders.

4. State Role Dynamics: Parnell and Crankshaw critique existing spatial policies for perpetuating disparities, urging a greater focus on urban areas where most populations reside.

Self-Help Housing Movements

• Historical Roots: Self-help housing approaches gained traction in the 1960s in Latin America and have become integral in South African policy, particularly through the People's Housing Process (PHP), promoting community-led housing solutions.

• Recent Developments: Articles on the self-help approach emphasize better-quality housing outcomes and the potential of backyard dwellings to enhance housing situations rather than symbolize failure.

The Private Sector's Role

• Market Dynamics: Analysis indicates that the private housing market often exacerbates social and spatial inequalities, catering primarily to wealthier segments.

• Government Responses: Initiatives to increase affordable housing access through financial reforms and the limitation of gated communities aim to mitigate these disparities.

Conclusion

The contributions within this special issue illustrate the complex interactions between different types of housing in addressing South Africa's spatial and social challenges. The emphasis on relational dynamics between various housing approaches provides insights that may apply in broader international contexts.