Paper 4: Case studies from Cape Town, eThekwini, and Johannesburg

This paper is the fourth in a series of four papers that together look at how to use public property to realise value towards the integration and spatial transformation of South African cities. It provides a set of case studies that explore a number of projects located in three provinces. The purpose of these case studies is to assess how property (not necessarily public) can be used to realise value as defined in Papers 1 and 2. Two of the selected projects are located on private land and, although the focus is on public land, these demonstrate interesting approaches to the actual development which could be applied to public land.

The specific projects that have been selected have different circumstances, issues and approaches. The first project is the Tafelberg site, located on provincial government land in Sea Point, Cape Town. It is a relatively small portion, within a strategic node. The second is the old hospital site, Conradie hospital in Cape Town, which is located on provincial land between existing communities with different demographics and income levels. The third, Athlone Power Station, on municpal land, is also also located between diverse communities on a major corridor. This site is highly constrained by an existing refuse depot and is in close proximity to sewer works. The fourth and fifth case studies are located in eThekwini. Cornubia is situated on a large tract of private land, again located between diverse communities, on a major corridor in close proximity to uMhlanga. Bridge Cityis located on private land and lies on a corridor between Inando, and Phoenix and KwaMashu. The latter is located within a slighter lower income region than the former and has less access to the opportunties of the wealther nodes. The final example, Jabulani, exists within the ‘old traditional township’ of Soweto, on public land.

This paper is the fourth in a series of four papers that together look at how to use public property to realise value towards the integration and spatial transformation of South African cities.