A dissertation submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for Master of Urban Design in the Department of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, October 1993 / No abstract supplied.

This discourse is submitted to the Faculty of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Urban Design, Johannesburg, October 1993 / Johannesburg's inner-city is in crisis. Physically; the city is deteriorating. Daily, the media reports of increased crime figures, and yet another corporation moving to suburbia. Institutions which remain in the city intensify their security and offer internalised canteens, gymnasiums and parking to their staff so that they need not venture out onto the streets. It is therefore doubtful that institutions which remain do so out of love for the city; rather, it would appear that these decisions are motivated for reasons of retaining their property investments. In reaction. city politicians (who live in suburbia) have embarked on cosmetic urban design upgrades and programmes to keep Johannesburg clean, or green, while others campaign for transportation solutions and stadiums driven by manifestos to make Johannesburg a truly 'world' city - Eurocentric images of what great cities should be. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction]. / MT2017

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Urban Design to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2015 / This research report demonstrates how an enabling framework can be applied as a means to address morphological issues in a manner that also fulfils certain existing urban policy objectives. The aim of the research is to assess the extent to which an enabling framework applied in this way can create environments that are in line with the core values of the urban design profession. The morphological issues in question are primarily due to the continued existence of the railway lines in the middle of the Johannesburg CBD. The policies in question, presented in the form of spatial development frameworks (SDFs), are those of the City of Johannesburg (COJ) and the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG). The enabling framework is an approach to settlement making that is characterised by three aspects. The first is its end product, a movement-oriented spatial framework known as the organising concept. The second aspect is the enabling framework’s open ended approach, which holds that the city is an act of will: that a city can be shaped proactively by a single idea and that the idea need not be detailed in order for it to be applied. Lastly, the enabling framework is distinct in its understanding of participation, which is described as democratic feedback: an infinite number of responses to the organising concept that includes even the production of alternate plans. It is argued in this report that these three aspects of the enabling framework align well with the existing policy context in Johannesburg, where there is emphasis on spatial planning (with a strong transport component), on an open ended approach, and on participatory approaches to planning. The report assesses the extent to which the application of the enabling framework in this context can create an environment that espouses urban design principles. This is done in three steps: demonstrating how an enabling framework is constituted and how it may be applied; demonstrating possible responses to it; and then evaluating these responses on the basis of imageability (Lynch, 1975) and responsiveness (Bentley et al, 1985). In general, the findings from this assessment indicate that enabling frameworks may be more effective at addressing imageability than they are at creating responsiveness.

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.

No description available.

M.Phil. / Considerable research on public policymaking has been carried out over the years. A number of theoretical frameworks have been developed to try to understand the complexities of the policy process. Nevertheless, the implementation of policy remains, as deLeon and deLeon (2001) state “the most devilish of wicked problems”. It is this wicked problem that this thesis attempts to comprehend a little better in the context of public transport. There is a broadly expressed belief in South Africa that while we have developed some fairly robust public transport policies, we fall down when it comes to the implementation of these policies. However, policies are not equally complex in nature and surely therefore not equally demanding in implementation. While it is accepted that a number of political, economic and social factors are necessary for policy implementation, it is nevertheless hypothesised that the nature and complexity of a policy will influence the paradigm within which implementation will take place. Furthermore, the ‘success’ of the implementation process needs to be located within the context of the specific implementation paradigm. The objective of this thesis has been to (i) identify and (ii) apply an appropriate policy implementation framework or model to the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) programme in South Africa to understand the BRT policy implementation process that has emerged thus far and whether its very nature and characteristics place it within a certain policy implementation paradigm.

M.A. (History) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: According to certain writers urban regeneration as an idea encapsulates both the perception of city decline (in local economies, in the use of land and buildings, in the equality of the environment and social life) and the hope of renewal, reversing trends in order to find a new basis for economic growth and social wellbeing. Rebuilding the city, clearing away obsolete buildings and vacant sites, and producing new building forms and designs symbolised the renewal in action. But urban regeneration also has different components or evolution criteria like, the major strategy (the focus of the renewal project), an economic focus, a social content, a physical emphasis or an environmental approach. The economic change that occurred in cities throughout the world in the past decade, has been paralleled not only by the physical reshaping of the city, but it has been accompanied by institutional restructuring (the rise of new firms, new working practices and relationships designed to exploit new market opportunities). The physical, economic, social and cultural projects launched through the process of urban regeneration, reconstruct the economic, socio-cultural, political-institutional and physicalenvironmental fabric of cities. It battles urban decay and redevelop the city to such a extend that it brings back the original appeal of the city, which lured people to the central city for decades. But not all urban renewal projects are aimed at the inner city; some are launched in a much wider context and would focus on blighted or previously disadvantaged and marginalised areas. Renewal projects in Cape Town and elsewhere in South Africa in cities like Durban and Johannesburg are still ongoing and form an important part of rebuilding cities of modem South Africa. It is however important to remember that not all urban renewal projects proved to be a success, some do fail. In the Cape Town Metropole and the Central City local government has neglected many areas for much too long. Recent efforts to restore the beauty of Cape Town and really address the urban challenges that arose from the Apartheid legacy shows a commitment from the Cape Town Municipality to create a much more liveable and economic viable urban environment. This study investigated the City of Cape Town Municipality's approach towards urban regeneration in the Central Business District and other specific business nodes. A literature review gave an intellectual background to the study and helped to build a logical framework. Secondary analysis helped define the goal of the study and qualitative field research assisted the investigation through direct observation and semi-structured interviewing. The study did not aim to prove that every urban renewal project that was launched was aimed at eradicating the problems associated with the Apartheid City. An important factor to take in account is that different business areas (The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront) and nodes (The Wetton-Landsdowne Phillipi Corridor), the focus of this study, make use of different redevelopment strategies. This study focused on how and why some work and must be built upon, and delivered critique on why some failed and should convert to a more successful renewal approach. The study concluded that the City of Cape Town's approach towards urban regeneration do compare positively with redevelopment strategies followed in other parts of the world such as America and Britain. The study tried to show the direction urban regeneration could take for the future, based on an evaluation of urban regeneration evolution criteria namely: • The major strategy and orientation and key actors and stakeholders. • The economic focus. • The social content. • The physical emphasis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stedelike vernuwmg omvat beide die konsep stedelike verval (met betrekking tot plaaslike ekonomieë, die fisiese gebruik van grond en gebou en wat betref die kwaliteit van die omgewing) en die hoop van vernuwing of herontwikkeling, met die idee om die rigting van strategie te verander sodat 'n nuwe basis vir ekonomiese groei en sosiale welstand gevind kan word. Die herontwikkeling of opbou van die stad beteken nie net die verwydering van nuttelose en ongebruikte geboue en vakante grond nie. Stedelike hernuwing het verskeie komponenete of evolusie kriteria, soos die hoof strategie (die fokus van die hernuwingsprogram), 'n ekonomiese fokus, 'n sosiale inhoud, 'n fisiese klem of 'n omgewingsbenadering. Die ekonomiese verandering wat oor die laaste dekade in die wêreld plaasgevind het is vergesel nie net deur 'n fisiese herstrukturering van die wêreld se hoof stede nie, maar ook institusionele hervorming (die opkoms van nuwe firmas en venootskappe en nuwe ekonomiese en mark geleenthede) Die fisiese, ekonomiese sosiale en kulturele komponente wat deel vorm van stedelike hernuwingstrategieë dra by tot die heropbou en herontwikkeling van die ekonomiese, sosiokulturele, polities-institusioneel en fisiese-omgewingsfabrikaat van stede. Stedelike verval word beveg en die stad word tot so 'n mate herontwikkel dat dit die oorspronklike aantrekkingskrag van die stad herstel. Maar nie alle hernuwingstrategieë is gemik op die Sentrale Sakekern nie, sommige word in 'n wyer konteks geloods, en fokus op areas van verval, vorige benadeelde en gemarginaliseerde areas met as doelwit 'n meer interkonnektiewe stad. Hernuwingsprojekte word steeds op 'n konstante basis geloods in stede soos Kaapstad, Durban en Johannesburg met die oog op die belangrike herontwikkeling van kern areas in die stede. Dit is egter belangrik om in ag te neem dat nie elke stedelike hernuwingsprojek 'n seker sukses is nie, soos die Wetton-Landsdowne Phillipi Korridor Program. Binne die Kaapse Metropool en in die Sentrale Sakekern is kern areas vir lang tye verontagsaam en toegelaat om te verval. Die onlangse pogings (1999 - 2002) wat aangewend word deur die Kaapstad Munisipaliteit dui op 'n verbintenis van die organisasie se kant aftot stedelike hernuwing. Die organisasie, deur middel van die Stedelike Hernuwingsprogram van 2002, is ook verbind tot areas wat voorheen deur Apartheidsbeleid benadeel en gemarginaliseer is. Hierdie studie fokus op Kaapstad se benadering tot stedelike hernuwing in die Sentrale Sakekern en ander spesifieke besigheidsnodusse. 'n Literêre oorsig het gehelp om die intellektuele agtergrondmateriaal en logiese raamwerk van die studie te vorm. Sekondêre analise het die doel Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za van die studie bepaal en kwalitatiewe veldwerk het die ondersoek aangehelp deur observasie en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die studie sal nie probeer bewys dat elke hernuwingsprojek wat deur die Kaapstad Munisipaliteit geloods word gemik is op die uitwis van stedelike probleme geassosieer met die Apartheidsbeleid nie. Die evaluasie aan die einde van die studie poog om dit uit te wys. Dit is belangrik om te beklemtoon dat elke verskillende area wat die potensiaal toon vir herontwikkeling soos die Victoria en Alfred Waterfront of die Wetton-Landsdowne Phillipi Korridor (die fokus van die studie) volg verskillende strategieë ten einde hul hernuwingsdoelwit te bereik (ekonomiese ontwikkeling, sosiale fokus of omgewingsbeklemtoning). Die studie het wel die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat van Kaapstad se stedelike hernuwingstrategieë tog ooreenstem met herontwikkelingstrategieë in die res van die wêreld soos in Amerika en Brittanje. Die studie fokus en poog ook om die rigting aan te dui vir toekomstige stedelike hernuwingstrategieë op grond van 'n evaluering van stedelike hernuwingsevolusie kriteria naamlik: • Die hoofstrategie en rolspelers. • Die ekonomiese fokus. • Die sosiale inhoud en • Die fisiese beklemtoning van hernuwingselemente.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Master of Arts in Industrial Sociology in the Graduate School for the Humanities, Social Sciences and Education in the faculty of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand November 2016 / The study pursues the examination of transition in peri-urban areas through the case study of Midvaal Local Municipality. Peri-urban areas are experiencing a transition from rural urban coexistence to urban dominance. The peri-urban urban concept remains a complex one to define. Peri-urban concept has been accepted to mean the urban and rural linkages that are mutually reinforcing. Literature has reflected on urban bias developments of peri-urban areas with rural function being subdued. There is evidence of competing tensions between rural and urban functions. These tensions arise from competing interests such as residential estate developments and industrialisation of peri-urban zones. The study explores the urban bias extended to peri-urban zones that has potential to underscore rural functions, such as farming. Theoretical constructs assist to contextualise the transition in the peri-urban areas. There is convergence in the body of literature over transition of the peri-urban areas albeit not homogeneous. Unique country and within country transition of peri-urban zones make it difficult to forecast growth trajectory of peri-urban zones. The study finds that peri-urban developments have taken an affluent development trend, redefining the peri-urban as zones of high consumption. It is established that ultra-rich people are attracted to Midvaal. Accordingly, there are exclusive upmarket estates, namely, Eye of Africa golfing estate and Blue Saddle Ranches equestrian estate. These affluent development trends fracture the conceptualisation of peri-urban areas as vulnerable, poor areas that are a consequence of urban sprawl. Some of the pro-urban developments in periurban areas results in irrecoverable loss of agricultural land. Often, urban bias functions influence the neighbouring farm portions through land use or even influence price of land in these zones. There is an appeal of middle and upper class to peri-urban zones owing to country nostalgia, cheap land, security, recreation, ambiance, tranquillity and anti-urbanism. Peri-urban areas are being redefined along class lines in the South African socio-economic context. Racial property ownership patterns have been replaced by class patterns. The study establishes that ownership patterns within the estates under study are above the middle class income bracket of South Africa, rather a preserve of the affluent. The study establishes that Midvaal Municipality consents to the development of estates. There is an underlying motivation for the local authorities to be amenable to the upmarket estate developments. The municipality is actuated by revenue linked to upmarket residential estate developments. Developments of these estates inject revenue growth in the area. Upfront, developers invest in the laying of bulk infrastructure which is later taken over by the municipality. This type of relationship, if not guarded may yield elite capture of peri-urban. Development trends in peri-urban areas are not homogeneous. Some peri-urban zones still reflect a state of neglect, vulnerability and are homes of the poor. Whilst the municipality boasts being premised on agriculture strategy in its objectives as an agri-tropolis local authority, there is little evidence to suggest vibrant agriculture and contribution of same towards the GDP of the municipality. Instead, the growth path is dominated by non-agricultural functions and activities. There are contradictions and tensions of agricultural pursuit over industrial and residential developments. / MT2017

Abstract not available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1991.