Social Mix In New Town Housing Development: A Case Study Of Cosmo City,South Africa

The impending decades will see the developing world experience a dramatic increase in the percentage of its urban dwellers.This rapid and extensive urbanization trend will impact human spatial development,resource allocation,inequality levels and,quality of life.In South Africa,the province of Gauteng has long retained an urbanization rate exceeding all other South African provinces.The rapidly growing urban population in Gauteng presents a multitude of challenges for government,significantly,the growing demand for housing and the increasing segregation of social groups.Furthermore,since 1994,a national housing shortage has fueled the drastic increase in both,numbers of and,densities within informal settlements.Within these informal settlements,residents are subjected to substandard living conditions with little,if any,access to basic amenities.Partnered with a general lack of economic opportunities,many inhabitants turn to illegal activities as a means to survive.This phenomenon threatens not only the stability of Gauteng but also,the urbanization process in South Africa.In the recent decade,both central and local governments in South Africa have promoted extensive developments with an aim to solve housing shortage and social segregation.Many new town projects underline the creation of socially mixed housing.Using Cosmo City – a government initiated mixed-income housing development in Gauteng Province – as a case study,this study aims to evaluate the responses taken by government at national,provincial and municipal levels in addressing the severe housing shortage,and to examine the implications on social mix from the mixed-income housing development.The main research questions include how is the new town of Cosmo City implemented as a project embracing an extensive urban development approach and,to what extent is Cosmo City governed towards social mix?The methodological approach to this investigation incorporates in-depth analysis of related published literature as well as empirical analysis of various official government policies.Furthermore,in-depth case study approach is utilized,emphasizing on site observations and a range of qualitative interviews with related parties,including: Members of the Gauteng urban planning division;an urban spatial planning strategist for Johannesburg;a private sector civil engineer involved with the Cosmo City bridge construction;as well as various Cosmo City residents and business owners.A multi-level analytical framework is provided to analyze governance policies on social mix from national,provincial and project level,as well as examine stakeholders' perspectives on different aspects of social mix in Cosmo City.This research finds that Cosmo City,albeit planned as mixed-income housing,lacks means through which local residents are able to secure social and economic opportunities.Residents were separated into different spaces due to their income differences.The provision of public space also had discrimination at lower-income housing area.There are few shared economic actives or social interaction between different social groups.This has resulted in a variety of alternative means through which lower-income residents generate incomes.Informal trading in undesignated trading areas congests the streets and,presents a variety of safety concerns.More hidden problems are found with the increasing overpopulation within the development,spurred by a proportionate number of residents who,illegally construct housing extensions in order to rent out this extra room.This unregulated population surge places sever pressure on the provision of infrastructure and the maintenance of social mix,ultimately jeopardizing the overall sustainability of Cosmo City.Although Cosmo City was largely successful in creating a new town with housing provision,significant challenges still remain.This research provides two-fold recommendations,include first,government's acknowledgement of the illegal housing extensions as inevitable,and subsequent policies through which these extensions can be better monitored and regulated;second,the incorporation of a slightly different urban design is also suggested,as a means through which local residents have access to more social and economic activities with equal rights and opportunities.