Thesis (M.Arch. (Prof.))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning, 2016. / This thesis explores the role of the Johannesburg Minibus Taxi Industry as a city- making device, both as a concentrator as well as a separator of different people and different industries. The taxi industry’s role in the city oscillates between an activity- generator and inhibitor depending on what state the mini-bus taxi is in. By concentrating people during drop- off or pick- up phases of a commute, the density of commuters afford traders and other commercial entities an accessible market to exploit and sell their wares to, but during off-peak hours the taxi industry is static and doesn’t attract activity, other than taxi- centric activity. The city provides limited amount of space for the taxi to operate in, which forces taxis to territorialise public streets spaces during off- peak hours when the industry is in a lull. These territorialised spaces are then limited to a set taxi- centric function and are prevented from becoming spaces with a greater variety of function or activities. By introducing a space that allows taxis to park, or hold, off street as a means to allow current streetscapes, currently defi ned as taxi spaces, to become open to a reinterpretation by citizens and to fulfi l needs of the citizenry will afford the city a greater level of workability and engagement from all parties involved. In order to achieve a city that is reinterpretable by its citizenry and to do it successfully, the need to establish what constitutes a good urban form is paramount. Dense, diverse, multi- functional and interesting urban morphology is key, but none of this can be addressed if the status quo of the urban environ remains the same. By proposing the construction of a mixed-use taxi holding space on the existing Jack Mincer Taxi Rank, in order to allow taxis currently parking and holding on street to be able to hold in a safe and secure building. This proposal will serve as a catalyst in development for the surrounding urban context which will allow for the redesign of these previously taxi- focused urban spaces to evolve into mixed- use developments that provide housing, commercial opportunities as well as recreational spaces in the existing End Street Park. R einvigorating the existing urban condition through reconfi guring the surrounding urban condition, there is an opportunity to relook at the existing taxi industry itself and its workings and reimagine it. To create a system that allows for greater economic opportunities for associations, owners and drivers. However, in order to achieve a greater level of effi ciency in the current taxi industry, numerous changes need to be made to implement these processes, the least of which will drastically affect and reduce the amount of taxi drivers on the roads. Since drivers are already in a constricted position in terms of job opportunities, these individuals will invariably be victimised and be forced into a position of joblessness, due to South Africa’s struggling economy. By introducing an enterprise component to the project that will help facilitate skill- creation and foster entrepreneurship in drivers, and former drivers, the industry becomes an important stepping stone in developing a workable economy that supports and engenders greater and varied economic activity, by directly encouraging the development of entrepreneurs and skill development. Furthermore, by not just targeting the taxi industry directly, but also by engaging with industries dependent on the taxi industry, this intervention further develops the market district in the region, and further enables traders in the region to exploit the pedestrian market and encourage a richer economic activity on the chosen site, and the surrounding urban context. This intervention is not just reconfi guring an urban condition, but also an industry’s effect on that condition, through the introduction of the Urban Taxi Terminal. / EM2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning / The advent of democracy opened avenues for South Africa’s integration into the global economy. The international influences of governance and political economy have since transcended into the South African public management and its economic policies. The implications of this approach have led to the transformation of the local government sphere as an interfacing agent for service delivery, economic development and promoting democracy. Therefore, consolidation of municipalities towards becoming competitive cities lies on the justification that amalgamation can yield improvement in service delivery, redressing socio-economic and spatial disparities as well as improving economic growth. Using the West Rand district case study, it emerges that competitive cities require certain features of competitiveness ranging from sound infrastructure development, inclination to innovation, efficient governance, the ability to attract relevant labour, indigenous markets and the quality of life. However, the upsurge of creating competitive cities in South Africa is not purely for economic reasons but also political and developmental justifications. Against these features, the West Rand district possesses strategic strengths in natural endowments, governance, and a potential human capital. However, an innovation agenda for varied economic sectors, information technology and for building strategic networks must be developed in order to meet the long term vision. The report suggests that collaborative planning can be useful in building consensus and bringing on board the marginalised groups into decision making. Together with equity planning, it is considered as a guide for implementing redistributive justice as one of the objectives for amalgamation. Also, spatial reform towards a competitive region is proposed through strategic spatial planning approach to uphold democratic principles in planning for the district. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the amalgamation process is geared towards establishing a competitive West Rand region as a means of galvanising economic growth. However, the realities of service delivery challenges and a fragile economic base suggest that the mergers should also aim to enhance social justice and a redistributive developmental agenda.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for the degree of Master of Urban Design. JOHANNESBURG 1992 / This dissertation studies the residential environment o f suburbia. As urbanisation continues to increase, renewed questions on the costs ot sprawl, its environmental impact and the livability of suburbia are being asked. The major aim or purpose is therefore to suggest new ideas which w ill be capable of transforming neighbourhoods into places exh biting the many qualities of urbanism that have been eroded away as standardised planning techniques and automobile domination, slowly but surely break down the fabric of urban areas. The research method traces the historical beginning of suburbia up to the present day in order to clearly understand the factors fundamental in determining its structure and form. The results show a need to compact and integrate res'dential areas so that densities may be increased and sprawl curtailed. Livability is, however, an essential prerequisite as without it a return to the slum conditions of the pre-war years is possible, due to the ever increasing population growth and rural depopulation.

This document is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture (Professional), Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016 / This thesis examines a number of issues that exist in Johannesburg across a series of scales, the urban, the architectural and the programmatic intervention. The project, situated between Fordsburg and Newtown, examines the East-West city connections and aims to provide an identity for the lost inbetween fabric of Burghersdorp. The project is made up of four themes, Disconnection, Memory, Textiles and Recycling, within a scope that examines the present based on themes from the past: The city fabric is fragmented, mainly due to city spatial planning and city politics. There is the potential and need to physically stitch or darn city fabrics through urban planning. The project looks at an urban regeneration scheme that incorporates urban devices as the tools used to stitch the street back together. There is potential to darn the programmatic functions in the city, potentially weaving local communities together, and provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and skills.The thesis also examines the need for buildings as mnemonic aids. Historically, city fabric was erased for the building of the Oriental Plaza. The memories attached to these buildings and spaces were lost. There is a possibility for regenerating a space for memory in the city, re-weaving this forgotten city fabric into a new node and identity for Burghersdorp. The area is defined by the activities of the community that surround it. Textiles are a significant part of defining the area’s identity. A substantial amount of textiles are discarded. Waste is a valuable commodity, evidently seen from the existence of the informal waste collectors. There is an opportunity to connect these communities while closing the loop, a proposal for a circular economy for textiles in the city. / MT2017

No Abstract / MN (2016)

In the context of globalization and neo-liberal urban restructuring, cities have been attempting to reposition themselves within the competitive global landscape through focusing on their images and their enhancement since the 1970’s. Rebuilding the city became the goal of urban policy through the process of urban regeneration, and large-scale, emblematic urban development projects or ‘mega-projects’ began to play a major role in this endeavour. However, in the current landscape of uncontained economic growth, social decline and ecological destruction, sustainability has become a critical concept, and the pursuit of a ‘sustainable city’ is a desirable goal. Urban policy consequently focuses on urban regeneration and sustainability as parallel agendas. This study focuses on the South African city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, where regeneration has become particularly evident in recent years, with the focus intensifying when the country was awarded the bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, sparking the planning and construction of a number of mega-projects. Simultaneously sustainability has gained greater focus, as the need to develop within environmental limits has been recognized. Three particular mega-projects within the city are investigated: the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Warwick Junction Mall, and the Point Development; in order to explore the relationship between the two dominant agendas of contemporary urban policy. This is achieved through the exploration of the urban policy and regeneration landscape of the city, and the particular role which mega-projects play. Subsequently, the three mega-projects are assessed in terms of sixteen sustainable city principles to determine the extent to which they incorporate sustainability, and thereby the extent to which sustainability is considered in the city’s urban regeneration. The research findings reveal that although sustainability is present in the policy and planning rhetoric of the city, the mega-projects and urban regeneration do not include these principles to any meaningful extent. It is therefore concluded that these two policy strands are currently conflicting agendas within the planning and development landscape of Durban. There is a consequent need for sustainability to be practically incorporated to a greater extent in order to ensure a sustainable future for the city. i / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

CITATION: Brand, A., Geyer, H.S. & Geyer, H.S. 2015. Corridor development in Gauteng, South Africa. GeoJournal, doi:10.1007/s10708-015-9683-x. / The original publication is available at http://link.springer.com/journal/10708 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development corridor concept has been regarded as an important development instrument in spatial planning and geography for many decades. Expanding literature on the theme indicates that development centres or nodes play an important role in the establishment of such corridors. Flows of goods and information between such centres are key in creating conditions that are potentially favourable for further urban development along the communication axes connecting such centres. Combined, the various nodes form a unique flexible exchange environment allowing for dynamic synergies of interactive growth that can achieve scope economies aided by fast and reliable corridors of transport and communication infrastructure. In the South African development sphere, there is strong belief that functional relationships between nodes can play a decisive role in the establishment of development corridors. This research showed that the degree to which economic activities are concentrated in the greater Gauteng region; the resulting current or emerging multinodal structural composition; and the flows of economic activities between the various nodes result in the creation of developing corridors that channel and focus economic growth between networks of cities. This confirms the importance of corridors as spatial and economic development instruments. The research concluded that corridor development in Gauteng still favours monocentrism. Johannesburg and Pretoria feature as the most dominant nodes, exerting great forces of attraction on the distribution of development and economic growth in the region. The research also suggests a degree of polycentrism whereby economic growth is channelled between networks of cities, however development potential is most favourable in areas in close proximity to primary centres and tends to be functionality driven. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkelende korridor-konsep is oor baie dekades heen as ‘n belangrike instrument in ruimtelike en geografiese beplanning beskou. Uitgebreide literatuur dui aan dat nodusse ‘n belangrike rol in die vasstelling van korridors speel. Die vloei van goedere en inligting tussen nodusse is uiters belangrik in die samestelling van toestande wat gunstig is vir ontwikkeling rondom kommunikasie-asse wat nodusse verbind. Die kombinasie van nodusse vorm ‘n unieke vloeibare omgewing waarin medewerkende interaksie die omvang van ekonomiese groei bepaal en word ondersteun deur vinnige, betroubare vervoer- en kommunikasie-infrastruktuur. In die Suid Afrikaanse ontwikkelingskonsep, word sterk geglo dat funksionele verhoudings tussen nodusse ‘n belangrike rol kan speel in die vasstelling van korridors. Die navorsing toon dat die wyse waarop ekonomiese aktiwiteite binne die Gauteng-streek versprei is; die huidige of opkommende samestelling van meervoudige nodusse; en die vloei van ekonomiese aktiwiteite tussen nodusse die skepping van korridors wat ekonomiese groei tussen netwerke van stede kanaliseer tot gevolg het. Dit bevestig die belangrikheid van korridors as ruimtelike en ekonomiese beplanningsinstrumente. Die navorsing kom ook tot die gevolgtrekking dat korridorontwikkeling in Gauteng steeds die konsep van monosentrisme aanneem met Johannesburg en Pretoria as die mees dominante nodusse, wat groot aantrekkingskragte op die verspreiding van ontwikkeling en ekonomiese groei in die streek uitoefen. Die navorsing dui ook aan dat daar tog ‘n mate van polisentrisme is waardeur ekonomiese groei tussen netwerke van stede versprei word. Die mees gunstige ontwikkelingspotensiaal lê egter in gebiede wat in die nabyheid van primêre nodusse geleë is. / Post print

The quest for resilient cities has emerged as a strategy to mitigate and adapt the problems created by urban population growth and rapid urbanisation. Resilience has increasingly become an important urban policy discourse that challenge cities to reflect on their adaptive capacity to function in the face of adversity. Urban resilience in particular, amplifies the concern that urban spaces are the hub of heightened complexities of diverse risks. Across the globe, the concept of resilience is gaining momentum with many academic researchers discussing this phenomenon. In South Africa, the concept has been sparingly incorporated in a number of literatures with little focus on local government entities such as municipalities. In order to close this gap in the literature, and in response to the increasing use of the concept locally, this study explores the extent to which factors of resilience resonate within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality urban management practices. Based on the exploration of a wide array of literature from various disciplinary areas, this study examines the concept of urbanisation and the related challenges. It also critically explores the concept of resilience, its application in urban management as well as the attributes of the adaptive capacities that enable urban resilience. This research adopts the City Resilience Framework and Index developed by Arup in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation to assess the levels of resilience in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The framework identifies four main dimensions used to measure resilience: People’s health and wellbeing, Organisation of the economy and society, Place of urban systems and services and Knowledge inherent in leadership and strategy. These dimensions form the basis of an integrative framework that provides an alternative lense through which cities can understand their unique attributes that contribute to their resilience. This research highlights the levels of resilience within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and outlines practical implications for Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s management which can also be applied in other cities. This research adopts a positivist approach and applies statistical empirical measures using a quantitative analysis process. The research instrument in the form of a questionnaire was administered to the target population for data collection. Using the conceptual framework, the researcher applied statistical analysis to derive relationships amongst the variables to determine the degree of resilience in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality using the four main dimensions of the framework. The findings of the study show the varying levels of resilience within NMBM’s practices. NMBM’s principal success areas include; providing basic houses, ensuring water and sanitation facilities, instituting effective labour policies, providing skills development and training facilities especially to the youth, enabling a conducive atmosphere for business development and the presence of an integrated development strategy. However, not much has been done in providing sufficient public health facilities, alternative energy sources, access to financial services, ensuring food security, enabling continuity of projects and activities through a funded budget, providing emergency medical services in the event of a disaster, high levels of corruption and insufficient deterrents to crime. Overall, the results show that NMBM has made good strides in enabling high level of resilience in its day to day operations. The findings of this study suggest that urban resilience is a continuous process that facilitates engagement leading to a dialogue and deeper understanding of a city.

The study arose from a research issue that is both practical and theoretical. The apparent challenges of a stakeholder management nature in the execution of urban development projects in South Africa led to the conception of the study. However, the most compelling need for the study was the theoretical gap – in the urban development theory, in the projects theory, and particularly in the stakeholder management theory – on the management of stakeholders in the South African urban development projects. As a result, the value of the study is both managerial and scholarly. The urban development concept is understood to be referring to the development of urban areas for the purpose of improving the quality of life in the cities, and the development of the infrastructure to enable economic growth. Urban development projects, as vehicles for accomplishing urban development, are important for a newly industrialised economy (NIE) like South Africa. Also, as a result of the political past – in the form of a systematic preferential development based on racial segregation by the previous government, and the two decades of subjection of South Africa to economic and cultural isolation by the international community – South Africa has a huge backlog with regard to the two general purposes of urban development: social progress and economic progress. Consequently, urban development projects in South Africa are very critical and important, particularly for geopolitical and socio-economic reasons. Judging by the extensive negative media coverage, many of the South African urban development projects demonstrate poor stakeholder management. The list of urban development projects that have experienced stakeholder related challenges in South Africa is endless: the Johannesburg BRT project, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement project, the Transnet multi-product pipeline-construction project, the Chapman’s Peak toll-road project, the Kusile and Medupi power stations construction projects, are some examples. The project management profession and body of knowledge view stakeholder management in a serious light, actually a failure in adequately implementing stakeholder management in a project is tantamount to a failure of the project itself. There is also a consensus among numerous researchers that there is a general lack of knowledge for project managers on how to manage stakeholders, particularly external stakeholders. Stakeholder management is a poorly understood and, usually a very badly implemented project management discipline. Managing projects in Africa, and by inference in South Africa, can be particularly complex – given the involvement of multiple stakeholders and their historical, geopolitical, economic relationships, and cultural differences. The study set out to develop a framework to improve the management of stakeholders in urban development projects – by investigating the critical success factors that have an influence on stakeholder management success in urban development projects in South Africa. This study is important primarily because there seems to be no previous research conducted on this important project management discipline, stakeholder management of urban development projects; and there seems to be a neglect of stakeholder management duties by urban development projects agencies, and by inference, projects practitioners in South Africa. A theoretical space was created for this study in the fraternal literature of previous studies on critical success factors and/or stakeholder management in construction projects – as there seem to be none undertaken in the urban development environment, particularly in the South African context.

The study sought to assess the impact of the Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme (MURP) in Buffalo City Municipality from an analytical perspective of policy making, policy implementation, strategies and results of the programme. The aim was to analyse and evaluate the policy and implementation framework underpinning the MURP within the auspices of the national Urban Renewal Programme (URP). During the course of the study, literature was reviewed with the aim of contextualizing the study, especially given the ‘controversies’ associated with urban renewal interventions globally. As far as implementation is concerned, the institutional mechanisms, the cooperative government imperatives and the community perspectives are highlighted and reported on. Lastly, the study also proposed different policy and implementation options, as well as an implementation model. This model is advocated as an option for local government consideration with the aim of resolving the urban renewal problematique.