The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

Abstract

Colonialism is a significant legacy across most aspects of urban form, the nature and distribution of public green spaces, and tree species composition in many cities of the Global South. However, the legacy effects of colonialism on urban green infrastructure and the uses thereof have only recently come under scrutiny. Here we collate information from South Africa on urban greening and interpret it through a colonial and apartheid legacy lens in relation to the distribution and types of urban nature found and their resonance with contemporary needs as an African country. The analysis indicates marked inequalities in public green space distribution and quality between neighborhoods designated for different race groups during the colonial and apartheid periods, which continues to be reproduced by the post-colonial (and post-apartheid) state. Additionally, in the older, former colonial neighborhoods non-native tree species dominate in parks and streets, with most of the species having been introduced during the colonial period. Such colonial introductions have left a burdensome legacy of invasive species that costs billions of Rands annually to keep in check. Lastly, the forms of nature and activities provided in public urban green spaces remains reminiscent of the colonial norm, with little recognition of African worldviews, identity and needs. We conclude in emphasizing the necessity for urban authorities and planners to address these anachronistic legacies through adopting a more inclusive and co-design approach with respect to the extent, location and types of urban nature provided, as well as the types of cultural symbols and activities permitted and promoted.

Using “Live” Public Sector Projects in Design Teaching to Transform Urban Green Infrastructure in South Africa

“…The legacy of former Apartheid planning still dominates urban areas in South Africa [18], manifesting as an unjust distribution of green assets across race and income [12]. Planned as dormitories, former "townships" still need mobility and green infrastructure to turn them into well-connected, healthy mixed-use neighborhoods [53]. Township areas under Apartheid planning had few developed green spaces, while vacant space operated as a barrier to planned racial and economic opportunity [53].…”

“…Planned as dormitories, former "townships" still need mobility and green infrastructure to turn them into well-connected, healthy mixed-use neighborhoods [53]. Township areas under Apartheid planning had few developed green spaces, while vacant space operated as a barrier to planned racial and economic opportunity [53]. Open spaces are therefore often still perceived and experienced negatively by the communities in which they are situated, and green spaces do not feature greatly in academic, policy, and civil society discourse [54].…”

Socio‐ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities

“…But understanding current landscape patterns and their influence on zoonotic hazards necessitates knowledge of their historical and ongoing socio-ecological drivers. (Ignatieva & Stewart, 2009;Loughran, 2020;Shackleton & Gwedla, 2021). During post-industrial growth, systematic racism and classism was institutionalized in many cities through land use policy, development projects, and lending decisions (Schell et al, 2020), which was driven in large part by capitalist systems that prioritized profit and exploited the a-spatiality of marginalized communities (Bledsoe & Wright, 2019).…”

Innovative and Sustainable Food Production and Food Consumption Entrepreneurship: A Conceptual Recipe for Delivering Development Success in South Africa

“…An analysis of the underdevelopment issues emerging in SA based on the sustainability domains includes a broad range of environmental, economic, and social development issues exposing poverty alleviation, gender development, inequality, climate change, employment creation, economic development, food security, community development, and human well-being as key problems [8,56] (SDG 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 9, 16) A critical examination of a number of research articles demonstrates a new prevalence of globalised strategic and operational policy development plan and activism on sustainability [31,[58][59][60][61][62]. It is also clear that consensus among the research proponents of development now prevails regarding the fact that marginalised communities' real development needs and interests in SA are yet to be understood [45,59,60,63].…”