Johannesburg and Cape Town should be considered world
cities, bringing world city ideals to Africa and South Africa. Both cities
have a leading role in our history and today are our two most recognizable cities
globally. South Africa should feel proud of its economic and tourist hubs
and visitors need to be attracted to their economic opportunities and
scenic wonders. But in order to grow these cities we need to shake off the
stigma of crime and urban degradation and let them stand proud as examples
of South Africa’s progressive future.
South Africa needs cities that attract residents with
low crime, efficient transportation and good leisure facilities. Our cities
need to be safe, they need a new and affordable
commuter system and most of all they need to be attractive places to live
in.
What is urban renewal and gentrification?
It’s is the process of renewal and rebuilding of
deteriorating city centers to improve living conditions for their residents
and attract new residents to them. Importantly for South Africa, urban
renewal is linked to improved standards of living, reductions in local
crime rates and proactive community initiatives.
Apart from the change in city center culture and
character, typical demographic changes associated with urban renewal
include a reduction in the average size of the households and a move
towards higher average household incomes.
This new, demographic is often much closer to the demographic for
which the city was constructed and thus improves living conditions for its
residents.
An urban area with a transportation hub, pedestrian
accessibility and social interaction may be considered more desirable than
the sprawl and car and mini bus dependent lifestyle of the average community.
Increasingly, locations in global city centers have attracted affluent
post-baby boomer professionals and/or their empty nester parents; however
this trend has yet to begin in South Africa.
Ideals and objectives
Key elements shown to increase urban community enjoyment
are:
·
Attractive and easy access to leisure facilities
including lakes, parks, cozy bars, street cafes, coffee shops, community
centers;
·
Variation in building scale, tree lines
streets, a manageable human streetscape, usable public spaces, benches,
green areas;
·
Effective policing;
·
Easy and cheap access to health care;
·
Cheap and efficient public transport,
including trams, trains and busses;
·
Pedestrian and cycle ways as the veins of
the city;
·
Affordable and conveniently situated high
quality education;
·
to act as noise barriers while being
aesthetically pleasing;
·
Local business incentives;
·
Recycling centers;
·
A safe neighbourhood
where residents can walk to work.
The result is a greener healthier and above all more
enjoyable neighbourhood.
© 2008
Progressive Initiative. The
Progressive Initiative rejects all forms of discrimination, embraces
democracy and encourages transparent politics. The views expressed in this
site are those of its members.