Restructuring in a South Africa city during transition : urban development and transformation in Pietersburg during the 1990s

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The effect of apartheid on the spatial form, administrative functions, economic disparities,and social composition of South Africa's cities and towns shows remarkable consistency.Yet, each urban area has its own historic character, bureaucratic and political composition,internal civil structures, and diversity of attitudes to a changing society. This dissertationfocuses on how four urban restructurings are reshaping and reordering the formerconservative city of Pietersburg in the 1990s. This is done within the framework of broadernational political processes and legislation. Given the broad scope of research themes ~n thestudy data collection methods have been applied within an eclectic approach. First, however,is an analysis of the historiography of Pietersburg setting the scene for interpreting thespatially fragmented urban settlement system that developed during the apartheid city period.Contemporary linkage patterns between Pietersburg and the proclaimed former Lebowatowns are explored in using data obtained in a questionnaire survey conducted in Seshego,Mankweng, Pietersburg and Lebowakgomo. How this dispersed settlement pattern should berestructured in the future - seeing that they are administratively separated - is interpreted infinding a different form of governance. Local government restructuring in Pietersburg andSeshego is investigated in covering each of the transitional facets of local governmentchanges (i .e. from formation of LGNF to election outcomes). The city's performances areevaluated in terms of certain criteria. The White Paper on Local Government is placed inthe context of the above findings and a proposal.At the dawn of 1990, Pietersburg had achieved its apartheid aims. An empirical investigationof the spatial evolution of residential desegregation in Pietersburg between June 1991 andMay 1997 shows how residential spaces have changed. Residential mobility trends thatoccurred and new residential groupings emerging after apartheid are identified. An analysisof the housing market is also provided. Qualitative (residents' perceptions of residentialintegration) and quantitative data (statistical measurements of segregation) are used inanalyses. Understanding processes involved in deregulation and re-regulation of streettrading during a period of transition are discussed within a conceptual framework. Theinvestigation sheds light on how successful street trading policy formulation and itsimplementation during urban transition have transformed the former apartheid city. Aspectsexplored include a concise historical overview of business space segregation under apartheidrule and the resulting spatial effects of it; an analysis of post-apartheid integration and therestructuring of urban business space, chiefly illustrating the distinction betweendesegregation and deracialisation processes of urban business space transformation; adiscussion of the deregulation and subsequent re-regulation of informal street trading as anexample of informal urban development; and some planning suggestions regarding theprocess of desegregating central business space are advocated. The most important policydocuments developed during the 1990s to redress the current urban realities conclude theempirical analysis. A discussion of the Land Development Objective process and policyformulation in Pietersburg with the implementation of their Urban Development Frameworkscrutinises restructuring in spatial terms.A synthesis provides a conceptual framework for understanding urban restructuring phasesin Pietersburg. A concept 21st-century South African city model is also proposed.Keywords: Urban restructuring, Pietersburg, informal sector, local government, spatialrestructuring, 21st century South African city, urban linkages.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University