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Editorial
Full text linkTwo decades into the current millennium, there are still questions about the status and situatedness of Africa in the global community. One central question about Africa is the historical footprint and arrangements of the colonial occupiers. From this standpoint, additional questions center on the lived experiences of Africans, especially in terms of the colonial impact on settlement arrangements and planning models. Several policy initiatives aim to empower and improve the African condition from the global to the continental levels. From the global context, the United Nations-inspired Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (2000 to 2015) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015 to 2030) are instructive. While the former goals focused on the Global South, which included the African subregion, the latter set of goals focused on both the Global North and Global South (Hanson, Puplampu and Shaw, 2018). The SDGs, especially SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and SDG (partnership for the goals) are essential in addressing the nexus of the environment, human settlements, and global partnership. At the continental level is the African Union Agenda 2063 and its inspiring undertones of creating an Africa that Africans want based on sustainability (Africa Union et al., 2016). The important point is that both the global and continental policy initiatives have significant implications for any discussions on coloniality, autonomy, identity, and spatial justice, the issues at the heart of this special issue of the Journal of Inclusive Cities and Built Environment. It is thus an opportune time through this special issue to unpack how well contemporary policy and research on the continent have come to grips with the interplay between (de)coloniality, autonomy, identity, and spatial justice. The special issue aims to contribute in durable ways to the possibilities of reimagining space and place in the built environment from a decolonial lens. The reflections in this issue arise from engagement with questions of spatial difference, autonomy, identity, and change in Africa, aspects of which have become more apparent through the current debates on decolonization. These experiences form the basis of reflection stimulated in this issue to reflect on what confronts and motivates built environment knowledge holders in deepening the critique of past colonial injustices. The question of what the built environment (i.e., planning, urban planning, architecture, housing, social geography, and spatial planning) can do to contribute to the decolonial debate. Colonialism connotes a power relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, often expressed in a superior-inferior binary in state-to-state relations (Young, 2018; Whyte, 2018; Hechter, 2020). The legacies of colonialism are visible in a post-colonial society (MaldonadoTorres, 2017; Bonilla, 2020; Enns and Bersaglio, 2020, Patrick et al., 2022) and the pattern of power relations in such society (Ricaurte, 2019). While many may trace Africa’s colonial realities back to the conquest and subjugation of Africa in the slave trade era (Wabah and N-ue, 2020; Masaka, 2021), one can argue invariably that the official colonialization of Africa was formalized in the Berlin conference of 1884/85, chaired by Otto van Bismark (Idejiora-Kalu, 2019; Babatunde, 2020). The implications of this event for any conceptualization of African identity in the historical contemporary contexts cannot be overemphasized. Identity, it needs to be stressed, is about a sense of self and how others recognize and response to that sense of self. Indeed, is there an African identity currently in an era of neoliberal globalization
AFRICAN MIGRANTS TOWARD INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN MOZAMBIQUE: A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF MAPUTO
Full text linkMigration African scholars have argued that the Migration of Africans is occurring within the continent. That Migrationcan either be intra-regional or inter-regional. South Africa and Northern Africa constitute the core for all Africanimmigration flows; the so-called intra-immigration is made of migration chains such as within the Maghreb region,west, east, and southern Africa. Historically, Mozambique has sent labor to South Africa in plantations and miningfor more than two centuries, while on the other hand, it was seen as a producer of refugees, a Portuguese-speakingcountry, and lower levels of Development indicators. As a consequence, it was a country not desirable to be or tosettle. In the last two decades, the stigma on immigration towards Mozambique is deconstructed because of thebusinesses and jobs opportunities that arose in the country for the boom era of mining, including oil, gas, and coal.The current geography of immigration is made of a multicultural of people from all over the world. A chain of newshops made of construction material, spare car material, barber, boutiques, groceries, and liquor shops are widelyseen in Maputo. Most in containers and owned mainly by African migrants, Chinese, and Mozambicans. Africanmigrants have been portrayed as those who do not add any value to any economy. Instead, they are job stealers.However, the study has demonstrated African’s contribution to economic growth as they give jobs and regularly payrents and taxes. The study is part of MIAG (Migration for Inclusive African Growth) results where interviews andsurveys were used
TOWARDS A HUMANISTIC APPROACH TO INCLUSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT: A CRITICAL CASE STUDY OF DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
Full text linkThis paper argues that the core of the problem hinges on exclusive thinking and practice within disciplinary silos, disconnected from the multi-layered, subjective experience of urban place through movement in space and time. The problem was traced back to the conceptual approaches to urban mobility
SYSTEMS CONNECTIVITY FOR SOUND URBAN POLICY CREATION AND ENHANCEMENT: EXPLORING RURAL-URBAN INTERDEPENDENCIES AND LINKAGES FOR INCLUSIVE CITIES
Full text linkThis article is based on a study that investigated and examined the relevance of rural-urban linkages towards sustainable and inclusive development for both cities and rural areas. It argues that rural-urban linkages have great potential in facilitating sustainable development when harnessed and supported. The old definitive notion of rural and urban areas separated the two as distinct and independent regions. This led to biased policy initiatives towards urban development without consideration of the interdependencies between the two regions. The article is based on a desktop study involving the interrogation of literature and documents extracted from Google scholar, Ebsco and websites with news and policies and related material for data analysis. Emerging from the study are three main observations, that rural-urban linkages have huge potential that can help improve development; if not managed well, they can be manipulative and beneficial to one side and active participation in decision-making and implementation paves way for a sustainable future. It concludes that an in-depth understanding of these linkages can help harness the potential benefits that emanate from the rural-urban relationship. Policy recommendations are given that encourage inclusive city development rather than the separationist approach that dissects the existing rural-urban linkages
THE PLANNING DILEMMA IN UPGRADING OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES: A PRACTITIONERS PERSPECTIVE ON THE INCLUSIVITY PARADOX
Full text linkThis article examines the inclusivity paradox and the interplay of power and influence that has led to the planning dilemmas observed in the upgrading of informal settlements in South Africa. It is based on the perspectives of practising planner that recognizes that inclusivity can facilitate the development of socially cohesive and sustainable settlements. The planning dilemmas are apparent at all levels of the planning process, from conceptualization, design, preparation, and implementation when the voices of planners can be subsumed or lost given the dynamic working environments in the local authorities. There is also a strong correlation between the historical exposition to colonialism and the apartheid legacy that was oppressive and racially discriminatory. This has led to the adoption an empathetic approach in development control in the cities and towns. The consequence of the post-democratic freedom and mobility is the increase in formalization of many municipalities with varying degrees of expansion and growth. The planning fraternity has no desire to replicate the oppressive land use zonings and forced removals of the past. It is concluded that inclusivity through an elusive concept is necessary in the upgrading of informal settlements occupied by some of the most vulnerable members of the society and with a background of oppression, aggression and bias in the allocation and developmen
ADOPTION OF INTEGRATED TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Full text linkThe importance of addressing urban mobility problems is increasingly being emphasized in the Fourth Industrial Era. This shift towards creating a smart and inclusive cities represents a major milestone towards improving policies and urban mobility processes in both developed and developing cities. One approach to tackle this is the adoption of an integrated active/public transport system for urban mobility. Building on this, the study reviewed the need for an integrated transport system and means to achieve a safe, efficient, accessible, and affordable transport system for all members of society. The study revealed that good modal interchanges are central to creating a better transport network aimed at improving the transportation planning of a country. To achieve this, a well-planned and integrated transport infrastructure and services are needed and should be provided to facilitate and enhance smart mobility for all members of the society irrespective of their status or spatial location. Without planning and investment in better interchanges, the absence of affordable, efficient, and easy to use alternatives will mean those with access to a private car continue to rely on them while those without it will continue to be doubly disadvantaged by the negative social and environmental impacts of over-reliance on private cars. Thus, there is a clear and pressing need for bette
Investigating the differential item functioning of a PIRLS Literacy 2016 text across three languages
Full text linkThe aim of this study was to determine whether a limited release literary text from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) Literacy 2016 is equivalent across English, Afrikaans and isiZulu, three of South Africa’s 11 official languages. PIRLS is a large-scale reading comprehension assessment, which assesses Grade 4 students’ reading literacy achievement. PIRLS Literacy 2016 results for South African Grade 4 students indicated poor performance in reading comprehension, with approximately eight out of ten Grade 4 students who cannot read for meaning. Descriptive statistics informed the Rasch analysis which was conducted using the South African PIRLS Literacy 2016 data. Even though the Rasch analysis indicated differential item functioning across the three languages for this specific passage, there was no universal discrimination against one particular language. By conducting differential item functioning, it was possible to determine whether the selected text had metric equivalence, in other words, whether the test questions were of similar difficulty across languages
A new feminist materialist analysis of girls and the sexual violence assemblage
Full text linkAbstract
Inspired by Deleuze and Guattari’s (1988) concept of ‘assemblage’, this paper addresses young schoolgirls’ (aged 12-13) experience of sexual violence as a materially embedded, relational and affective event that contributes to our understanding of how girls negotiate agency. In this paper, attention is given to sexual violence as an assemblage of materialities in the form of bodies, objects, expressions, spaces, and ideas that connect in ways to affect what girls can and cannot do within a moment in time and place. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, we show how the assemblage not only produces capacities that restrict girls’ potential for agency but within specific conditions, generates capacities to disrupt dominant gendered prescripts that structure girlhood. We argue that while the assemblage produces agentive capacities for girls- it may simultaneously reinforce them. The paper concludes that interventions to address sexual violence and girls’ agency hinges on a relational ontology.
 
Covid-19 and the virtual classroom conundrum in Zimbabwean universities
Full text linkCovid-19 is a global pandemic that has reconfigured the mode of curriculum delivery and assessment in universities, moving much of the teaching to online platforms. Whilst the virtual classroom becomes the most tenable alternative to address educational needs under the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, most universities in Zimbabwe have been found wanting responsive to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and techno-savvy human capital. In maintaining social distancing due to Covid-19, this exploratory study employed in-depth telephone interviews with purposively sampled 5 deans, 5 lecturers and 2 disadvantaged students from five universities (3 state and 2 private). Forty more students (20 males and 20 females) for the 5 FGDs of 8 participants each were selected through stratified random sampling. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect, present and analyze data. The findings of the study reveal that a techno-based curriculum delivery approach becomes discriminatory and intensifies social exclusion as some students living with disabilities and others in poverty struggle to access the e-learning resource materials. Furthermore, gendered stereotypical perceptions on the competencies of the girl child with regards to technology tend to compromise her effectiveness as an independent learner through ICT. Above all, geographical location, particularly the rural areas, becomes another serious impediment to techno-based curriculum delivery due to lack of electricity and access to the internet. For Zimbabwe, the situation becomes dire and complicated because of the economic meltdown prevailing in the country. The study thus concludes that while the virtual classroom remains the most tenable alternative in the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, it concomitantly excludes disadvantaged learners in the process. Covid-19 is likely to precipitate unprecedented levels of University student attrition in developing nations like Zimbabwe. universities as service institutions are thus encouraged to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure while the government subsidies the cost of internet bandwidth and data bundles to enable students to access the e-learning materials.
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that has reconfigured the mode of curriculum delivery and assessment in universities, moving much of the teaching to online platforms. Whilst the virtual classroom becomes the most tenable alternative to address educational needs under the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, most universities in Zimbabwe have been found wanting responsive to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and techno-savvy human capital. In maintaining social distancing due to Covid-19, this exploratory study employed in-depth telephone interviews with purposively sampled 5 deans, 5 lecturers and 2 disadvantaged students from five universities (3 state and 2 private). Forty more students (20 males and 20 females) for the 5 FGDs of 8 participants each were selected through stratified random sampling. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect, present and analyze data. The findings of the study reveal that a techno-based curriculum delivery approach becomes discriminatory and intensifies social exclusion as some students living with disabilities and others in poverty struggle to access the e-learning resource materials. Furthermore, gendered stereotypical perceptions on the competencies of the girl child with regards to technology tend to compromise her effectiveness as an independent learner through ICT. Above all, geographical location, particularly the rural areas, becomes another serious impediment to techno-based curriculum delivery due to lack of electricity and access to the internet. For Zimbabwe, the situation becomes dire and complicated because of the economic meltdown prevailing in the country. The study thus concludes that while the virtual classroom remains the most tenable alternative in the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, it concomitantly excludes disadvantaged learners in the process. Covid-19 is likely to precipitate unprecedented levels of University student attrition in developing nations like Zimbabwe. universities as service institutions are thus encouraged to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure while the government subsidies the cost of internet bandwidth and data bundles to enable students to access the e-learning materials.
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that has reconfigured the mode of curriculum delivery and assessment in universities, moving much of the teaching to online platforms. Whilst the virtual classroom becomes the most tenable alternative to address educational needs under the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, most universities in Zimbabwe have been found wanting responsive to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and techno-savvy human capital. In maintaining social distancing due to Covid-19, this exploratory study employed in-depth telephone interviews with purposively sampled 5 deans, 5 lecturers and 2 disadvantaged students from five universities (3 state and 2 private). Forty more students (20 males and 20 females) for the 5 FGDs of 8 participants each were selected through stratified random sampling. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect, present and analyze data. The findings of the study reveal that a techno-based curriculum delivery approach becomes discriminatory and intensifies social exclusion as some students living with disabilities and others in poverty struggle to access the e-learning resource materials. Furthermore, gendered stereotypical perceptions on the competencies of the girl child with regards to technology tend to compromise her effectiveness as an independent learner through ICT. Above all, geographical location, particularly the rural areas, becomes another serious impediment to techno-based curriculum delivery due to lack of electricity and access to the internet. For Zimbabwe, the situation becomes dire and complicated because of the economic meltdown prevailing in the country. The study thus concludes that while the virtual classroom remains the most tenable alternative in the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, it concomitantly excludes disadvantaged learners in the process. Covid-19 is likely to precipitate unprecedented levels of University student attrition in developing nations like Zimbabwe. universities as service institutions are thus encouraged to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure while the government subsidies the cost of internet bandwidth and data bundles to enable students to access the e-learning materials.
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that has reconfigured the mode of curriculum delivery and assessment in universities, moving much of the teaching to online platforms. Whilst the virtual classroom becomes the most tenable alternative to address educational needs under the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, most universities in Zimbabwe have been found wanting responsive to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and techno-savvy human capital. In maintaining social distancing due to Covid-19, this exploratory study employed in-depth telephone interviews with purposively sampled 5 deans, 5 lecturers and 2 disadvantaged students from five universities (3 state and 2 private). Forty more students (20 males and 20 females) for the 5 FGDs of 8 participants each were selected through stratified random sampling. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect, present and analyze data. The findings of the study reveal that a techno-based curriculum delivery approach becomes discriminatory and intensifies social exclusion as some students living with disabilities and others in poverty struggle to access the e-learning resource materials. Furthermore, gendered stereotypical perceptions on the competencies of the girl child with regards to technology tend to compromise her effectiveness as an independent learner through ICT. Above all, geographical location, particularly the rural areas, becomes another serious impediment to techno-based curriculum delivery due to lack of electricity and access to the internet. For Zimbabwe, the situation becomes dire and complicated because of the economic meltdown prevailing in the country. The study thus concludes that while the virtual classroom remains the most tenable alternative in the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, it concomitantly excludes disadvantaged learners in the process. Covid-19 is likely to precipitate unprecedented levels of University student attrition in developing nations like Zimbabwe. universities as service institutions are thus encouraged to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure while the government subsidies the cost of internet bandwidth and data bundles to enable students to access the e-learning materials.
Covid-19 is a global pandemic that has reconfigured the mode of curriculum delivery and assessment in universities, moving much of the teaching to online platforms. Whilst the virtual classroom becomes the most tenable alternative to address educational needs under the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, most universities in Zimbabwe have been found wanting responsive to information communication technology (ICT) infrastructures and techno-savvy human capital. In maintaining social distancing due to Covid-19, this exploratory study employed in-depth telephone interviews with purposively sampled 5 deans, 5 lecturers and 2 disadvantaged students from five universities (3 state and 2 private). Forty more students (20 males and 20 females) for the 5 FGDs of 8 participants each were selected through stratified random sampling. The study adopts a qualitative approach to collect, present and analyze data. The findings of the study reveal that a techno-based curriculum delivery approach becomes discriminatory and intensifies social exclusion as some students living with disabilities and others in poverty struggle to access the e-learning resource materials. Furthermore, gendered stereotypical perceptions on the competencies of the girl child with regards to technology tend to compromise her effectiveness as an independent learner through ICT. Above all, geographical location, particularly the rural areas, becomes another serious impediment to techno-based curriculum delivery due to lack of electricity and access to the internet. For Zimbabwe, the situation becomes dire and complicated because of the economic meltdown prevailing in the country. The study thus concludes that while the virtual classroom remains the most tenable alternative in the circumstances of the Covid-19 crisis, it concomitantly excludes disadvantaged learners in the process. Covid-19 is likely to precipitate unprecedented levels of University student attrition in developing nations like Zimbabwe. universities as service institutions are thus encouraged to invest heavily in ICT infrastructure while the government subsidies the cost of internet bandwidth and data bundles to enable students to access the e-learning materials
AFRICAN CITIES IN THE 2020S: WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS
Full text linkA series of case studies will illustrate trends in migration and urbanization in urban Africa. Weaknesses in the search for inclusivity – especially during and after COVID - refer particularly to the continuing dominant roles of urban (as well as national and global) elites in these cities and the associated high levels of urban poverty and inequality. Strengths refer particularly to the roles of the better qualified urban youth, to the spread of digital skills and means of communication, and to the presence of both global as well as national positive influences in these cities