Planning for inclusion in a South African town : a case study of informal trading in Stellenbosch Municipality

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With a Gini-coefficient between 0.65 and 0.69, South Africa has one of the highest rates of inequality in the world (Stats SA, 2014). At the city level, this inequality becomes particularly visible within Stellenbosch Municipality. Like all South African cities, apartheid has had a major influence on urban form and town-planning policies, the effects of which remain clearly apparent today. Despite high rates of poverty and unemployment, the presence of an informal, street-trading economy within central Stellenbosch is surprisingly absent. Informal vendors who do eke out a livelihood in the town centre are mainly located at two sites: one geared predominantly towards foreign tourists (Die Braak); and the other which sells affordable, convenience goods to commuters beside the local taxi rank (Bird Street Taxi Rank). This thesis, prepared for an MPhil in Urban and Regional Planning at Stellenbosch University, uses qualitative methods to look at the complexities of ‘inclusive town planning’ in South Africa, using informal trading as a case study. Four sub-questions direct the focus of the research towards investigating individual vendor identity and vendor relationships; existing channels for vendor-municipality interaction; current municipal policies for inclusive town planning; and finally - public perceptions of informal trading. All in all, this paper uncovers a number of key themes for town planners to consider – including the need for multi-purpose and viable public space; inclusive urban design; the use of innovative forms of public participation; and the creation of non-traditional community partnerships for inclusive urban problem solving.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gegewe ‘n Gini-kofissient tussen 0.65 en 0.69 word Suid Afrika gekenmerk deur van die hoogste vlakke van ongelykheid in die wereld (Stats SA 2014). Op ‘n stedelike vlak is hierdie ongelykheid pertinent sigbaar in Stellenbosch munisipaliteit. Soos in alle Suid Afrikaanse stede het apartheid ‘n dominante invloed gehad op die stedelike vorm en stadsbeplanning beleid waarvan beide se inlvoed vandag steeds duidelik sigbaar is. Te midde van hoe vlakke van armoede en werkloosheid is daar ‘n verbasende afwesigheid van n informele straathandelekonomie in sentraal Stellenbosch. Informele handelaars wat wel ‘n bestaan in die middeldorp maak, is hoofsaaklik in twee areas gelee: Die een bedien hoofsaaklik buitelandse toeriste (Die Braak); die ander fokus op bekostigbare geriefsverkope en grens aan die plaaslike taxi stasie (Bird Straat Taxi stasie). Hierdie tesis, soos voorberei vir die graad MPhil Stedelike en Streeks Beplanning by Stellenbosch Universiteit, maak gebruik van kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes om die besonderse kompleksiteite van “inklusiewe stadsbeplanning” in Suid Afrika te ondersoek, met informele handel as gevallestudie. Vier sub-vrae fokus die navorsing, eerstens deur die ondersoek van individuele handelaar identiteit en handelaar verhoudinge; dan die bestaande kanale vir handelaar-munisipale interaksie; derdens die huidige munisipale beleid vir inklusiewe stadsbeplanning; en laastens, publieke opinie rakende informele handel. Oorhoofs le hierdie tesis kern temas bloot vir stadsbeplanners om te oorweeg – insluitende die skep van multi-funksionele, volhoubare publieke ruimtes en inklusiewe stedelike ontwerp; die gebruik van innoverende metodes van publieke deelname, en die skep van nie-tradisionele gemeeskapsvenootskappe vir inklusiewe oplossings van stedelike probleme.

Masters