From Grahamstown to Makhanda: Urban Frontiers and Challenges in a Post-apartheid City

Abstract

Makhanda (Grahamstown) is a small city that falls within the Eastern Cape Province. It was established in 1812 as a British military garrison and, assisted by the arrival of the 1820 Settlers, it quickly became an important civic and economic centre. The city formed a strategic defence post on the frontier between the warring Cape Colony and the amaXhosa people who had been driven over the Fish River. The city structure was somewhat typical of the settler-colonial, segregation and apartheid eras. In the post-apartheid period, the city has retained many of the spatial legacies of the past. Segregation indices, though improving, are still high and are maintained through socio-economic barriers to integration, limited housing stock and the impact of studentification on the property market. The city has also experienced several structural changes in the form of urban sprawl and densification, but these have done little to challenge the residential segregation of the apartheid era. The future of the city is unclear. Several strategies could be initiated to tackle the challenges that are faced in achieving a fair and functional city. These strategies include planning interventions like mixed-income residential settlements, decentralization of amenities, and improved public transport systems. Greater and more challenging issues of structural unemployment, inequality and the effects of post-Fordist capitalism on urban spaces present significant barriers to positive change. In addition, a struggling and dysfunctional municipality has meant that the delivery of basic services and the maintenance of key infrastructure are under threat. Good local governance and management will certainly be necessary ingredients in creating a positive future for the city.