Can the post-apartheid South African city move towards accessibility, equity and sustainability?

Abstract

Historically, towns and cities have developed at easily accessible transport nodes to the sea, rivers, or roads. Unfortunately, the macro accessibility of cities that has followed in general was not extended to the micro level. In this paper, transport sustainability is assessed in terms of the following definition: a sustainable city provides mobility for all by creating accessibility of destinations, preferably by slow modes or public transport. The use of the private car is limited, congestion does not exist, and measures are taken if noise pollution occurs. From this perspective, accessibility within cities is often a problem, notably because of the separation between transportation and settlement planning. South Africa reflects this general pattern, which has resulted in unsustainable urban areas, but with the aggravating circumstance of the legacy of apartheid, which the paper explores in detail using the example of Cape Town. In order to give suggestions for the improvement of South African cities, urban spatial theories are described and examples of cities that developed based at least partly on those theories are given. However, European experiences have shown that settlement planning, even based on successful theories such as the “corridor” or the “compact city” approach, is not enough. There is a need for integrated settlement and transport planning. South Africa should investigate which additional integrated settlement and transport-planning policies should be put in place to improve the cities and to make them more equitable and sustainable.