Urbanisation in Africa: Lessons For Urbanisation in the Homelands

Abstract

In the homelands, as in the rest of Africa, urbanisation is proceeding a pace, bringing with it far-reaching socio-economic and political implications. There are relatively strong similarities between certain African states and the homelands in respect of rate of urbanisation, shortage of housing and services with the accompanying development of squatter settlements around urban centres, the artificial nature of the urbanisation process, unbalanced growth and so on. Important lessons are to be learnt from the successes and failures of urbanisation in Africa, especially as regards the non-applicability of Western models and standards. Hitherto, political decision making has dominated the process of urbanisation in the homelands, while the public sector has confined itself mainly to the provision of housing and services. If the complex interdependent processes of urbanisation are applied in an integrated development strategy, much can be done to hasten the achievement of national development goals. Whereas in the past the urbanisation of the Black population has been neglected in South African geographic research, areas are indicated where important contributions can be made.

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