Challenges facing the Alexandra Renewal Project in 2006
This article was written in 2006.
For the latest commentary please click here.
The new Director of the ARP looks at Alexandra in context
When looking at urban renewal within Alexandra three broad interrelated
issues need to be placed firmly into the spotlight.
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The historical context of land dispossession
and the political context of struggle against forced removal.
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The absolute importance of prime location
to the urban poor.
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The difficult balance between need and long term sustainability/
affordability.
De-contextualizing development will at best lead to failure and at
worse to social conflict.
The historical and political context has resulted in a set of challenges
within Alexandra that are complex and cut across physical, economic, social
and institutional factors.
Profiling Alexandra
In brief, the following describes Alex prior to the start of the Alexandra
Renewal Project.
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The area is characterised by unregulated
land use that is not linked to an effective land use development framework
or development control system. There is overcrowding with an average
density of 700 people per hectare. This high density has become a source
of social stress and conflict. There are large scale unplanned informal
and backyard settlements resulting in a degraded/polluted environment.
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There is a high unemployment rate (±60%)
and very low-income levels. Most people are unskilled and regarded as
unemployable within the sub-regional economy.
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The demographic profile of Alexandra is
youthful and male. There is inadequate social welfare support to vulnerable
groups with only 10% of households registered for welfare grants. There
is an absence of adequate social infrastructure particularly recreational
and sporting facilities. There is a lack of civic pride resulting in
dumping and vandalism. Further there are high levels of HIV/Aids, substance
abuse, domestic violence etc.
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At the institutional level there is little
geographic and uncoordinated coverage of government services. Poor service
delivery and low payment levels for services. As well as fragmentation
of services for example between SAPS, MPD and other emergency Services.
The integrated view of Alex
The challenges are not sectoral and isolated, but rather integrated
in nature.
Any solutions need to factor in the interrelationships between
economic, social, physical and institutional problems. This is equally
true both for large state development programmes as well as smaller
private sector initiatives.
Property owners and communities can and should play a positive role
in re-housing, rather than being seen purely as victims dependent on
government to respond.
It needs to be recognised that government is investing heavily in
housing and is doing all that is reasonable within the Greater
Alexandra area.
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