South African Urbanism: Grappling With Governance Issues - Essay Sample

Introduction

South Africa is also facing urbanism challenges due to governance issues. Förster and Ammann (2018) stipulated that the governance issues arise from fragmentation government stakeholders with conflicting interests and limited capacities. The process of urban governance is complex, and most South African cities have not yet grasped the concept of urban management that would foster the city’s prosperity. The key actors in urban governance in most African cities are all governmental levels, political parties, traditional leaders, the private sector, international agencies, and civil society.

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Johannesburg is one of the cities in South Africa that is facing the issues from rapid urbanization. The city is overcrowded since most people have shift from rural to urban areas. In effect, this has limited the available resources in Alexandra and other townships. Solving the urbanization challenges in the city of Johannesburg would require the integration of management theories. According to Turan (2015), the primary purpose of management is sustaining the wellbeing of the people and working towards and their maximizing their welfare. Additionally, Olum (2004) argued that the management theories and principles define the relationship between different variables. The understanding of the interaction of the factors fosters and reveals the possible existence. Therefore, this essay focuses on the urbanization challenges in Johannesburg and, in particular, the informal settlement of Alexandra and utilizes management theories to solve the urban governance issues.

Urban Management Challenges in Johannesburg and the Informal Settlement of Alexandra

The rapid urbanization in Johannesburg has contributed to inadequate housing facilities. Accordingly, Rees et al. (2017) stipulated that the physical environment attract different social meanings. Unemployed migrants reside in the informal settlements in Johannesburg. Importantly, these places are overcrowded, a condition that reflects the harsh conditions of the informal settlements in Johannesburg (Rees et al., 2017). Understanding the overcrowded situation in Johannesburg is essential in fostering the comprehension on the rise of informal structures in the city. Most of the people reside in informal settlements, such as that of Alexandra. The facility lacks essential services that include water, electricity, and sanitation, to mention a few. In spite of the fact that the city has programs aimed at providing housing, the plans are costly for the government. Thus, they have not yet been implemented since South Africa faces various urban governance issues such as corruption. Mainly, this hinders effective allocation of resources to solve the issue of informal settlement. Another challenge facing residents of Johannesburg and the informal settlement of Alexandra is related to transportation. Most of the people in this area depend on public transport. The racial separation that existed in the country from the early 1990s has made most communities to settle in areas that are far from their jobs and services (iLead, 2018). In the sequel, these people have to travel to get access to hospitals, work, and school. Johannesburg has insufficient road infrastructure that can facilitate active public transport.

The people in the informal settlement of Alexandra have to deal with the issue of an overloaded system. The high population in the area exceeds four times the original number for which it was designed (Rees et al., 2017). For the past nine years, most of the shacks in Alexandra have been built next to river tributaries (Rees et al., 2017). The area has become dense and has limited access. Importantly, this has posed several health challenges such as cholera, waterborne diseases and other virus related illnesses to the inhabitants in the area, which has highlighted the desperate need of improved sanitation among households (McGreal, 2001). The people of Alexandra are overpopulated and maintenance becomes a daunting task. The structures in the area are built over sewer lines and utility holes. In addition, renovating the area would require demolition of some buildings. Other issues include high demand for clean water in the area. The pressure for clean water is extreme such that it has created a system design capacity. Thus, this has led to low pressure mainly during peak periods (McGreal, 2001). Additionally, the individuals in Alexandra work for minimal costs while others are unemployed. Illegal electricity connections are also on the rise due to lack of finances to pay for electricity bills and connections. In effect, people have installed illegal links to the electricity supply systems. In effect, the sub-stations have become insecure hence posing extreme danger to children and the entire residents (Fegue, 2007). The river tributaries in the informal settlement are polluted and chocked with garbage. Most of the rivers flowing out of the area to the entire Johannesburg and South African region are contaminated. Therefore, one can see that the situation in Alexandra does not only affect the inhabitants of the area but also the entire country of South Africa. From this analysis, it is clear that the urban challenges facing Johannesburg, and, in particular, the informal settlement of Alexandra are hazardous to the city and the health of the population as well.

Management Theories and Mitigation of Informal Settlement Problem

The scientific school of management is concerned with the rise of productivity and efficiency. The approach is concerned with the creation of specialized work processes and skills that would aid in the completion of production tasks efficiently. The principle is based on science and not the rule of thumb. Old techniques should be eradicated and new ones implemented. The innovative measures should make work easier and faster (Olum, 2004). The other principle is that of harmony, which is critical in urban management. The approach also entails the cooperation of different bodies and institutions to enhance effective urban governance. Mutual aid increases involvement and responsibility hence resulting in worthwhile consequences. The Scientific Management School’s fourth principle is that of the need to take care of every individual’s efficiency from the onset. When the theory is applied to urban governance, and in particular, to solve the issue of informal settlement, it could consider the efficiency of the slum dwellers, their preferences, and their involvement in the decision-making processes. Also, the theory proposes the need to adopt new ideas of eradicating informal settlements other than the frequent use of old concepts that were not successful over the years.

The Classical Organizational Theory is another technique that could help explain urban governance aimed at solving the issue of informal settlement. Max Weber, in this approach, argued that the western civilization had shifted from value-oriented thoughts and affection actions to traditional ones (Olum, 2004). Civilization was changing to seek optimal results at the expense of people’s emotions and humanity. When applied to the issue of informal settlement, this theory is not likely to be viable since it entails focusing on the well-being of a city rather than the lives of the people residing in it. The plausible solutions could include evictions without compensation, which would render most people residing in the informal settlement area homeless (Olum, 2004). Such solutions would emanate if the approach is employed since it does not focus on humanity and the emotions of the people. In other terms, the theory proposes actions depicting rules based on personal and organizational interests.

Consequently, the behavioral management school theory focuses on group dynamics and the social components of an organization. Such factors are essential in advocating for or against improved productivity. According to Olum (2004), the supposition calls for the increased participation of workers since it yields trust and transparency, which leads to enhanced quality control. When applied to urban governance and the issue of informal settlement, the theory proposes increased collaboration with the slum dwellers. Mainly, the city government should work closely with the inhabitants of the Alexandra area to determine how best they can improve the overall living conditions. Such an action would make the people trust the government more and they would be open to any suggestions that seek to improve their lives.

Importantly, this school of management comprises of four approaches that include systems, situational, chaos, and team-building theories (Olum, 2004). A system has various inputs such as raw materials, technologies, money, and people. It also has processes and outcomes. Systems often share feedback among all the components. The systems theory allows managers to analyze situations broadly. In urban governance, the approach could be applied in situations where the managers assess the situations of the people and make decisions that would benefit all the involved persons.

Tom Peters advocated for the chaos theory that shows the less control exerted on most events in the world today (Olum, 2004). The theorist suggested that the systems are complex and with time, they become volatile and would require more energy to maintain their sophisticated nature (Olum, 2004). As such, the system splits hence needing an effective manager to handle the scenario in the best way possible. The theory, when applied in the informal settlement problem, suggests the need for not controlling the condition in the slums and living the situation as it is since it is likely to fall apart eventually.

The other management theory is the team-building technique. The approach emphasizes best practices and continuous improvement. The approach hinges on reliance on teamwork and the need to flatten the management pyramid and reducing the hierarchy levels. It also entails gaining consensus among the management and team (Olum, 2004). The technique entails ensuring that all the approaches aimed at improving the informal settlement area of Alexandra are acceptable by the inhabitants to enhance consensus. The people should also be involved in the slum rehabilitation measures decided upon to facilitate their success.

Olum (2004) also discussed other management theories denoted as ‘Theory X’ and ‘Theory Y.’ ‘Theory X’ has an adverse view of human behavior with arguments claiming that humans need to be managed, directed, and controlled. ‘Theory Y’ argues that people fulfill themselves by seeking self-respect, development, and fulfillment through work, which is a source of pleasure for humans (Olum, 2004). ‘Theory X,’ in urban governance, would mean implementing decisions without consulting the city residents. The approach assumes that people need to be directed and controlled hence the city government can make decisions that work best for the entire city of Johannesburg. ‘Theory Y’ means that the city government can make decisions on rehabilitating the informal s...