This study focuses on urban transformation that has taken place in the post-apartheid South
African city. In particular it examines the role that estate agents play in urban transformation
in the setting of two adjacent former white neighbourhoods of Glenwood and Umbilo. During
apartheid, racial superiority coupled with discriminatory legislation meant that estate agents
worked in a racially structured market. A review of related literature suggests that operations
of estate agents are crucial to the achievement of mixed neighbourhoods as they can be both
gatekeepers and agents of change. While a lot has been said about urban transformation in the
new South Africa, there exists a literature gap on the role that estate agents play in this
transformation. The study therefore explores what estate agents’ and black homeowners’
perspectives and experiences are on the issue of urban transformation. Ten interviews were
conducted with estate agents and another ten with black homeowners. One interview was also
conducted with the ward Councilor with a goal of obtaining their view of the change that has
been experienced in the two neighbourhoods. The findings from the study suggest that there has been a significant change in the operations
of estate agents and this has been necessitated by, and resulted in, urban transformation. The
change in the operations of the estate agents has been in line with changes in both the
economic and political spheres which shape the post-apartheid era. Estate agents have
incorporated the new changes in their operations and property ownership and transfer is now
done on an affordability basis rather than on racial consideration. However, areas of
contestation still exist. Property purchases within a particular ownership arrangement called
share block have resulted in some difficulties for purchasers both from the controlling
companies of these blocks and also in terms of securing financing from banks. It is crucial to
note, however, that black homeowners view estate agents as having undergone tremendous
restructuring and have been the major agents of urban transformation in the new South
Africa. Residential racial mixing has not been followed by racial integration, a view that is
shared by estate agents and black homeowners, but neighbourhoods are thought to be fairly
harmonious. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/8642 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Mucheuki, Collins. |
| Contributors | Ballard, Richard. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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