Citation

Tsoriyo W, Ingwani E, Chakwizira J, Bikam P. Town Reg. Plann. 2021; 79: 6-17.

Vernacular Title

Verkoper- en voetgangerservarings van hul 'reg op die stad' in straatontwerp en -bestuur in klein stedelike sentrums in die Vhembe-distrik, Suid-Afrika

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, University of the Free State)

DOI

10.18820/2415-0495/trp79i1.3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The demand for a spatial turn to enhance citizens' 'right to the city' is gaining more momentum in this era than previously. This is particularly evident within the South African urban space context. This article examines the vendor and pedestrian (street users) experiences of their 'right to the city' in street design and management in small urban centres in the Vhembe District of South Africa. The article adopted a case-study survey design and a mixed methods research approach. Data was collected by means of both key informant interviews with eight key experts in street design and management and a street intercept questionnaire survey administered to a total of 100 vendors and 400 pedestrians in the selected case study towns. Data analysis was done quantitatively through average users' satisfaction scores with a spatial quality and qualitatively through thematic analysis. Lefebvre's 'right to the city' theory was used to extract meaning from the research findings. The findings reveal that street users in all the towns of the study are dissatisfied with the spatial quality of safety, while accessibility was a challenge particularly in Thohoyandou Town. The findings reveal that economic, historical, and geographical differences affect street users' 'right to the city' experiences. Questions such as "Whose 'right to the city'?" and "Which 'right to the city'?" remain paradoxical. To create more spatially just streets, where vendors and pedestrians can enjoy their disparate 'right to the city' claims, users need to embrace the right to differences and municipalities in small urban centres need to continue to learn, experiment, and co-create urban space with the vendors and the pedestrians.

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Die eis vir 'n ruimtelike wending om burgers se 'reg op die stad' te versterk, kry meer momentum in hierdie era as voorheen. Dit is veral duidelik in die Suid-Afrikaanse stedelike ruimtekonteks. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die ervarings van verkopers en voetgangers (straatgebruikers) van hul 'reg op die stad' in straatontwerp en -bestuur in klein stedelike sentrums in die Vhembe-distrik van Suid-Afrika. Die artikel het 'n gevallestudie-opname-ontwerp en 'n gemengde metode-navorsingsbenadering gebruik. Data is ingesamel deur middel van sleutel-informant-onderhoude met agt sleutelkundiges in straatontwerp en -bestuur en 'n straatonderskepping-vraelysopname wat aan 'n totaal van 100 verkopers en 400 voetgangers in die geselekteerde gevallestudiedorpe geadministreer is. Data-analise is kwantitatief gedoen deur gemiddelde gebruikers se tevredenheidtellings met 'n ruimtelike kwaliteit en kwalitatief deur tematiese analise. Lefèbvre se 'reg op die stad'-teorie is gebruik om betekenis uit die navorsingsbevindinge te onttrek. Die bevindinge toon dat straatgebruikers in al die dorpe ontevrede is met die ruimtelike kwaliteit van veiligheid, terwyl toeganklikheid veral in die Thohoyandou-dorp 'n uitdaging is. Die bevindinge toon dat ekonomiese, historiese en geografiese verskille straatgebruikers se 'reg tot die stad'-ervarings beïnvloed. Vrae soos Wie se 'reg op die stad'? en Watter 'reg op die stad' bly dus paradoksaal. Om meer ruimtelik regverdige strate te skep waar verkopers en voetgangers hul uiteenlopende 'reg op die stad'-aansprake kan geniet, is dit nodig dat gebruikers die reg op verskille aangryp en munisipaliteite in klein stedelike sentrums moet voortgaan om te leer eksperimenteer en stedelike ruimte saam met die verkopers en voetgangers te skep.

Palabras clave : Die 'reg op die stad'; klein stedelike sentrums; ruimtelike (on)geregtigheid; straatbestuur; straat-ontwerp; verkopers en voetgangers.

Language: en