Why Do Planners Think That Planning Has Failed Post-Apartheid? The Case of eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa

Moodley, Sogen

doi:10.1007/s12132-018-9357-0

Cited by 13 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The interviews established that public officials at various levels, regardless of their skills, are confronted by an unsupportive institutional environment coupled with a bureaucratic and rigid institutional structure which inhibits the adequate absorption and application of new skills, policies, regulations and practices. This finding is consistent with recent research by Moodley (2018) whose study revealed that an unsupportive institutional environment was among the top three issues which posed critical challenges to municipal service delivery. Institutional environments are influential through incentives which they create that have a strong bearing on the degree to which officials' performance can be enhanced and sustained.…”

Section: Unsupportive Institutional Environmentsupporting

confidence: 93%

Factors affecting the performance of South African municipal officials: stakeholders’ perspectives

Masiya

Davids

Mangai

2021

CJLG

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Since the inception of the democratically elected post-apartheid government, South Africa has experienced growing numbers of protests about inadequate provision of basic municipal services. Recent studies have revealed that the poor performance of municipal officials contributes towards poor municipal service delivery. This article is based on a study which used qualitative key stakeholder interviews to analyse the performance of South African municipal officials, specifically in the delivery of services. It found that the following inter-related factors were responsible for the lack of performance: an unsupportive institutional environment, negative power struggles, over-regulation, political interference, a tense and bureaucratic environment, lack of coherent management systems, absence of a culture of excellence, poor skill utilisation, poor oversight mechanisms, weak capacity to engage in collaborations, and lack of trust between councillors from different political parties. The study concludes that for South African municipalities to meet their constitutional obligations to deliver optimal basic services to the people, the government must, inter alia, invest in building the capacity of municipal officials through the development of skills and other crucial local government interventions and transformations. The municipalities should also depoliticise local government and promote non-partisan appointment of municipal officials.

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Section: Unsupportive Institutional Environmentsupporting

confidence: 93%

Factors affecting the performance of South African municipal officials: stakeholders’ perspectives

Masiya

Davids

Mangai

2021

CJLG

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“…The task of professionals and local government to manage trade-offs between social livelihoods and ecological infrastructure is complex. The legacy of former Apartheid planning still dominates urban areas in South Africa [18], manifesting as an unjust distribution of green assets across race and income [12]. Planned as dormitories, former "townships" still need mobility and green infrastructure to turn them into well-connected, healthy mixed-use neighborhoods [53].…”

Section: Study Context and Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a neoliberal market, developers, planners, and municipalities often favor landuse types that provide direct economic benefits for some [16,17]. In so doing, they often disregard the welfare of the poor and the fragmentation of ecological areas [18]. While planners in general show a low to moderate knowledge and awareness of ecological aspects [19], the public sector is additionally tested by a lack of capacity and governance [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using “Live” Public Sector Projects in Design Teaching to Transform Urban Green Infrastructure in South Africa

Breed

Mehrtens

2021

Land

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Urban green infrastructure is not acknowledged in the Global South for the critical social and ecological functions it can provide. Contextual design solutions and innovative approaches are urgently needed to transform the status quo. University-local government collaboration could be a way to encourage new thinking, new roles and design skills to develop solutions to these complex problems. This paper presents a case study analysis of such a collaboration. Qualitative research was conducted to establish the degree to which the exposure to real-life projects stimulates postgraduate design students’ transformative learning. The researchers also inquired into the benefits of the collaboration for the municipality. The participants’ reflections were recorded by means of anonymous questionnaires. The findings show that the live project created a municipal setting for seeking alternative solutions in design processes and outcomes. For the students, the project created rich social dynamics and an interplay of familiarity and uncertainty, which aided transformative learning. The students’ deeper learning indicates greater social empathy, reconsidering the role of the profession, greater design process flexibility, and learning and valuing skills across disciplines. The findings hold promise for a more just and sustainable future built environment through collaborations that transform the design professionals involved, the outcomes they pursue, and the processes they follow.

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“…It has positioned itself as being the guardian of good practice in setting out new developments as well as spatially regulating existing settlements and infrastructures. There remain problems within the profession (Moodley, 2019), both in its practices and its future role, but there is a general acknowledgement that planners play an important role in creating a more modern and just South Africa, seen not least in the framing of legislation such as SPLUMA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Apartheid formally came to an end as part of negotiations undertaken 1990-1993, leading to the country's first free and fair elections in 1994. More than a quarter of a century later, however, the legacy of apartheid continues to shape the nation both metaphorically and literally (Moodley, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Planning out abjection? The role of the planning profession in post-apartheid South Africa

Jones

Andres²,

Denoon-Stevens

et al. 2021

Planning Theory

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For Kristeva (1982) the abject not only caused visceral disgust but posed a threat to the established order of society. The abject is a product of particular times and places but limited attention has been given to understanding the process of transitioning away from abject status. We address this gap here through an examination of the planning profession in post-apartheid South Africa. The paper examines how the abject is fluid and resilient, evolving to fit a changing planning system and broader political economy where a discourse of abjection by race has been replaced by a focus on poverty.

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Why Do Planners Think That Planning Has Failed Post-Apartheid? The Case of eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa

Cited by 13 publications

References 28 publications

Factors affecting the performance of South African municipal officials: stakeholders’ perspectives

Factors affecting the performance of South African municipal officials: stakeholders’ perspectives

Using “Live” Public Sector Projects in Design Teaching to Transform Urban Green Infrastructure in South Africa

Planning out abjection? The role of the planning profession in post-apartheid South Africa

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