Planning and Participation in Cities That Move: Identifying Obstacles to Municipal Mobility Management

Abstract

SUMMARYThe dual processes of rapidly transforming cities and administrative decentralisation demands that local government address human mobility as a means of countering urban poverty. Despite this imperative, local authorities are often poorly equipped to address the needs of poor and transient residents. Through an examination of four South African municipalities, this article helps to identify three critical factors working against effective responses: poor data and conceptual bias; institutional ambiguities and budgeting processes; and, ironically, participatory planning. Although any one of these could serve as a basis for an article, by taking them together, we better summarise the challenges' scope and outline areas for further research and policy intervention. The article concludes by considering these findings' practical and scholarly implications.

The Landscape of Envisioning and Speculative Design Methods for Sustainable Mobility Futures

“…Furthermore, the transforming scenarios (18/2011) are developing newer paths in 25 to 50 years predictions. Transforming scenarios unlock the envisioning space by adopting backcasting, which has the starting point in the future [76][77][78], and by adopting participatory planning, which in [79] also include immigrants; focus groups [76], Delphi, and interviews [80,81]. Despite the expansion of imaginative space in the form of human engagement and collaboration with stakeholders, there was no experimentation, visualization, artifacts usage, or immersions identified.…”

Mixed Migration, Forced Displacement and Job Outcomes in South Africa

“…Changing these narratives requires a deep contextual analysis of the role of local government. In South Africa, for instance, although the Constitution includes provisions allowing municipalities to govern the local government affairs of its own community, subject to national and provincial legislation, most municipalities believed migration to be a subject to be regulated at the national level (Landau, Segatti and Misago 2013). Similarly, the particular bureaucratic incentives which motivate local authorities need to be accounted for.…”

Religion and the foundation of urban difference: belief, transcendence and transgression in South Africa and Johannesburg

“…In his 2004 State of the City speech, Johannesburg's executive mayor reflected a widely held sentiment when reporting that, 'while migrancy contributes to the rich tapestry of the cosmopolitan city, it also places a severe strain on employment levels, housing, and public services.' In many instances, local officials feel as though the scale of domestic mobility and the political demands that new arrivals place on them is overwhelming (Landau et al 2013). The same year, Western Cape premier Helen Zille similarly (and notoriously) referred to Eastern Cape in-migrants as 'refugees' (Pietersen 2012).…”

“…In private meetings and occasionally in public ones, some officials wistfully pine for a return to influx control and stronger border restrictions. In many instances, local officials feel as though the scale of domestic mobility and the political demands that new arrivals place on them is overwhelming (Landau et al 2013). On taking office in 2008, South African President Zuma's renewed emphasis on rural development reflected this familiar (if often implicit) political logic.…”