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1 – 10 of 25The party secured 54% of the vote compared to 62% in the last municipal election in 2011. The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) saw a moderate increase overall but made…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB212834
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
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Donovan Gottsmann and Amira Osman
Poor living conditions in informal settlements may be attributed mostly, though not exclusively, to the lack of basic services. Informal settlements, which also go by the name of…
Abstract
Poor living conditions in informal settlements may be attributed mostly, though not exclusively, to the lack of basic services. Informal settlements, which also go by the name of squatter camps, are volatile by nature. Even within relatively fixed settlement boundaries, change in urban fabric continually manifests through altering dwelling configurations. Deemed unstable and unsafe by formal criteria, these environments disclose schizophrenic characteristics: beyond the dirt, grime and smog, exist relatively functional societies capable of survival and self-regulation.
Public and private sector investment within informal settlements is restricted as a result of their illegal status. Inhabitants have no incentive to invest their own resources where they have no formal tenure over the land. Due to a rather backward approach to informality in South Africa, innovation in dealing with these settlements has been limited. Despite the fact that the rhetoric has sometimes changed from eradication to upgrading, little has been done with regards to alternative forms of settlement development that has relevance in terms of improving the lives of informal settlement dwellers.
With rising anger in poverty-stricken areas and on the peripheries of cities, what is needed is improved service delivery through immediate solutions. This article suggests a service delivery core, an architectural catalyst, rooted to the ‘energy’ of the public realm, stimulating growth of infrastructure networks. This catalyst core aims to instigate the amelioration of the surrounding environment.
The concept presented is that of a dynamic service core – universal in principle – while also being contextually-driven by responding to a specific environment and needs of a specific community. A generic architectural solution is thus presented to providing basic services and infrastructure within informal settlements, with focussed consideration for the unique situation of an informal settlement in Mamelodi, Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa. It is important to realise that there is no final product, but rather an organic architecture that adapts in a process of continuous and progressive change.
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Nicholas John Clarke, Marieke Cornelie Kuipers and Job Roos
The purpose of this paper is to explore the conceptualisation of the Smart Sustainable City (SSC) with new concepts of resilience thinking in relation to urgent societal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the conceptualisation of the Smart Sustainable City (SSC) with new concepts of resilience thinking in relation to urgent societal challenges facing the built environment. The paper aims to identify novel methodologies for smart reuse of heritage sites with a pluralist past as integral to inclusive urban development.
Design/methodology/approach
SSC concepts in the global literature are studied to define a new reference framework for integrated urban planning strategies in which cultural resilience and co-creation matter. This framework, augmented by UNESCO’s holistic recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), was tested in two investigative projects: the historic centre of South Africa’s capital Tshwane and the proximate former Westfort leprosy colony.
Findings
The research confirms that SSC concepts need enlargement to become more inclusive in acknowledging “cultural diversity” of communities and engaging “chrono-diversity” of extant fabric. A paradigm shift in the discourse on integrated urban (re)development and adaptive reuse of built heritage is identified, influenced by resilience and sustainability thinking. Both projects show that different architectural intervention strategies are required to modulate built fabric and its emergent qualities and to unlock embedded cultural energy.
Originality/value
Together with a critical review of SSC concepts and the HUL in relation to urban (re)development, this paper provides innovative methodologies on creative adaptation of urban heritage, reconciling “hard” and “soft” issues, tested in the highly resilient systems of Tshwane.
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SOUTH AFRICA: Further lockdown easing comes with risks
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES252815
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
SOUTH AFRICA: ANC may face backlash over city ousters
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES238101
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
SOUTH AFRICA: Lockdown muddle will erode confidence
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES252853
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
Consequently, voter registration is anticipated to close on February 23, when the election date is expected to be formally proclaimed. Already, registration data suggests several…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB285440
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
The results show a growing population, and significant demographic shifts within provinces, most notably in the economic powerhouses of Gauteng and Western Cape. However, the…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB283097
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The need for extensive negotiations within the party and with its alliance partners, Ramaphosa’s risk averse character and a shallow talent pool meant the reshuffle got stretched…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB276709
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
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Previously her party’s leader (2007-15), Zille has caused an internal party crisis after tweeting that the legacy of colonialism was not all “negative”. With reports that current…