The World Bank calculated South Africa’s 2018 Gini Coefficient to be 0.63, which made it the world’s most unequal country. Such inequality is perpetuated by land-use patterns still influenced by the apartheid past. The resulting urban form necessitates long travel distances, often relying on fragmented transit modes, each with their own geographical and temporal constraints. This study applies work on transit deserts in cities in the global north to Cape Town, aiming to assess the methodological transferability to the global south, and generating case study results. In the Cape Town case, the study first analyses transit deserts based on formal public transport supply (bus rapid transit, traditional bus and train), identifying that ten out of 18 traffic analysis zones were classified as transit gaps (some unserved demand), while three of these zones qualified as transit deserts (significant undersupply). Like its U.S. counterparts, excess supply is found near Cape Town’s city centre. In Cape Town, the transit gaps/deserts are partly filled by unscheduled minibus-taxis. When this informal public transport service is added, the transit deserts disappear; however, half of the transport analysis zones still qualify as having transit gaps. It is, therefore, concluded that informal public transit in Cape Town reduces the transit gap, but does not eliminate it.

Walking is the most important mode of transport in the “Global South. ” Depending on the location, the mode accounts for between 33 and 90% of trips. Despite its importance and the notion that walking is available to all, there are vast parts of the population that cannot use the mode, as infrastructure is not conducive. The gender and ability neutral approach to infrastructure provision ignores the needs of up to 75% of inhabitants, leading to isolation and the inability to access services. This paper describes the results of a desktop study that uses various types of literature and secondary data sources to conduct a qualitative assessment of the inclusivity of non-motorized transport and vulnerable population groups (women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities) in its planning and implementation approach, rather than actual implementations. Cape Town is used as a case study city. Results were verified by local experts. Gender neutral planning and roll out of infrastructure has been slow and there is no evidence at all that women, children, and the elderly are considered in the “Global South” context. Regarding people with disabilities, there has been some progress. Tactile paving and drop curbs are occasionally included. However, due to a lack of training of contractors and personnel that audits implementation projects, the quality of infrastructure for people with disabilities is poor. In the case of Cape Town, the qualitative scores are a mere two credits out of a maximum of 75 credits regarding the non-motorized transport, gender and social inclusion in transportation planning and practice. The authors suspect that scores in many African cities will be even lower. As with many other cities in the “Global South,” and more specifically in Africa, Cape Town needs to change its management structure, break down the silos between departments, embrace the input of representatives of vulnerable groups during infrastructure design and implementation and, more importantly, increase the budget for non-motorized transport. There is also a clear need for improved training for contractors and city infrastructure auditors, as implemented infrastructure is often substandard. The study resulted in the development of a hierarchical framework.

Background: After coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic, movement restrictions were implemented across sub-Saharan Africa. There has been much speculation on what the long-term impacts on urban transport might be. Objectives:The aim of this paper is to identify the revealed and future travel impacts of the pandemic.Method: To pursue this aim, evidence was compiled from two sources: secondary big data; and a (n = 15) two-wave Delphi panel survey of experts in the region. Results:It is predicted that longer-term impacts will take the form of: reduced travel by, and accessibility for, low-income households residing in peripheral locations because of decreased welfare; reduced transport service availability; operator reduction (particularly amongst unsubsidised formal operators); increased remote activity participation for a minority of better resourced households with white-collar workers; and disrupted trip distributions as the mix of city-centre land use changes in response to business attrition in economic recession rather than to disrupted bid rents. Conclusion:The major impact of the pandemic is likely to be on welfare, rather than on trip substitution. There is a need, therefore, to focus policy on the mitigation of these impacts and, more particularly, on ways of measuring changes in transport disadvantage and exclusion so that reliable data are available to inform mitigation strategies. The mitigation strategies considered should include investment in affordable 'digital connectivity' as a means of complementing accessibility from physical proximity and mobility. The pandemic also highlights the need to develop more robust transport planning practices to deal with uncertainty.

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