Abstract
The post-1994 era saw a transferring of culture and cultural practices within the built environment of hostels living and lifestyle through urbanization. During the apartheid era, black people were exposed to two types of housing typology: one which allowed them to practice their culture freely and the other which limited them in all aspects. Housing in rural areas allowed black people to practice their culture freely through its house-form layout, whereas housing in urban areas presented limitations and restricted all forms of cultural practices. The study aims at establishing and assessing whether communal residential units (CRUs) are responsive to cultural needs, norms and practices. To achieve this mandate, information was gathered through primary and secondary data collection methods. Quantitative information was gathered through household surveys and focus group discussions conducted in Wema (Umlazi Unit 17) as well as with key informants from eThekwini Municipality. The study used Durkheim’s human behavioural theory as a framework for analysing in trying to establish the linkage between culture and housing in CRUs. This research revealed that post-1994 housing especially the CRUs does not take into cognisance households’ cultural values. This is reflected in the nature of housing which is not free-standing while certain facilities within and outside the units are shared, thereby depriving households of privacy. However, the study also established that there are people who value the ease and convenience of single living and temporary housing depending on economy and their family’s financial need. The study recommended that the government should incorporate an environment that is supportive of culture and family living while also supportive of those who seek housing on short-term tenure.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altman I, Chemers MM (1980) Cultural aspects of environmental-behaviour relationships. In: Triandis HC, Brislin RW (eds) Handbook of cross-cultural psychology. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, pp 335–395
Altman I (1993) Homes, housing, and the 21st century: prospects and challenges. In: Arias EG (ed) The meaning and use of housing. Aldershot: Avebury, pp xix–xxvii
Bochner S (1975) The house form as a cornerstone of culture. In: Brislin RW (ed) Topics in culture learning, vol 3. Honolulu, HI: East-West Centre, pp 9–20
Clark W, Dieleman FM (1996) Households and housing: choice and outcomes in the housing market. New Brunswick, NJ: Center for Urban Policy Research
Darnton R (1984) The great cat massacre and other episodes in French cultural history. Basic Books, New York
Durkheim E (2002) Key Sociologists. In: Hamilton P (ed) London and New York: Routledge
Department of Human Settlements. (Nov 2006). Policy framework and implementation for the community residential units programme. Pretoria, South Africa
Emirbayer M (1996) Durkheim’s contribution to the sociological analysis of history. Sociol Forum 11(2):262–284
Ember CR, Ember M (1998) Anthropology: a brief introduction. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs NJ
Holland D, Quinn N (eds) (1987) Cultural models in language and thought. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
Hareven T (1993) The home and the family in historical perspective. In: Mack A (ed) Home: a place in the world. New York: New York University Press
Jackson G (1997) International housing: a framework for study and comparison of housing across political and cultural boundaries. Hous Soc 24(3):1–19
Jabareen Y (2005) Culture and housing preferences in a developing city. Environ Behav. 134–146
Jiboye AD, Ogunshakin L (2010) The place of the family house in contemporary Oyo Town, Nigeria. J Sustain Develop 3(2):117–128
Khan F (2003) Housing policy and practice in post-apartheid South Africa. Heinemann
Linton R (1945) The cultural background of personality. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York
Levy N (1982) The foundations of the South African cheap labour system. Routeledge and Kegan Paul, London
Lawrence R (2000) House form and culture: what have we learnt in thirty years? In: Moore KD (ed) Culture, meaning, architecture: critical reflections on the work of Amos Rapoport. Ashgate, Aldershot, UK, pp 53–76
Lemanski C (2009) Augemented informality: South Africa’s backyard dwellings as a by-product of formal housing policies. The South African housing foundation, international conference exhibition and housing awards. Cape Town
Malkawi F, Al-Qudah I (2003) The house as an expression of social worlds: Irbid’s elite and their architecture. J Housing Built Environ 18:25–48
Mhlaba D (2009) The indigenous architecture of KwaZulu-natal in the late 20th Century. University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Middleton CD (n.d.) Self-help components in housing delivery. Research report prepared for the Canada mortgage and housing corporation, rural and native housing division, Ottawa
Mitchell M, Bevan A (1992) Culture, cash and housing: community and tradition in low-income building. VSO/IT Publications, London
Moore GT, Tuttle DP, Howell SC (1985) Environmental design research directions. Praeger, New York
Mothotoana MH (2011) Implementation of hostel redevelopment project withn the city of Johannesburg metropolitan municipality. University of South Africa, South Africa
National Housing Code (2000) Department of housing. Republic of South Africa
Gauteng Provincial Government (2008). Hostel eradication programme to help demolish apartheid legacy. Retrieved August 15, 2010, from http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2008/08061210451003.htm
Njoh AJ (2006) Tradition, culture and development in Africa: historical lessons for modern development planning. Ashgate, South Florida, USA
Ojo J (n.d.) Description of houses in Nigeria by travelers and explorers—1823–1892. In: Amole B (ed) Habitat studies in Nigeria. Some qualitative dimensions. Ibadan, Nigeria: Shaneson Publishers Ltd, pp 48–63
Ozaki R (2002) Housing as a reflection of culture: privatized living and privacy in England and Japan. Housing Studies 17(2):209–227
Rapoport A (1969) House-form and culture. Prentice-Hall, Inc
Rapoport A (1980) Cross-cultural aspects of environmental design. In: Altman I, Rapoport A, Wohlwill JF (eds) Human behaviour and environment. Plenum Press, New York, pp 7–42
Rapoport A (1995) Culture and the built-form—a reconsideration. In: Rapoport A (ed) Thirty three papers in environment-behaviour research. Urban International Press, Newcastle (UK), pp 399–436
Rapoport A (1998) Using “culture” in housing design. Hous Soc 25(1–2):1–20
Ringer FK (1992) Theory and method in comparative research: two strategies. Soc Forces 61:731–754
Thurman S (1997) Umzamo: improving hostel dwellers’ accommodation in South Africa. Environ Urban 9(2):43–61
Timmermans H, Molin H, Van Noortwijk L (1994) Housing choice processes: stated values revealed modeling approaches. Neth J Hous Built Environ 9:215–227
Tomlinson R (1990) Urbanization in post-apartheid South Africa Unwin Hyman
Triandis HC (1994) Culture and social behaviour. McGraw-Hill, New York
UNESCO (n.d) The interdependency of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage. ICOMOS 14th general assembly and scientific symposium.
Willis K (2005) Theories and practices of development. Routeledge, USA
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Msimang, N., Chipungu, L. (2021). Reflecting on the Inclusivity of Culture in Urban Housing Development—A Case Study of Communal Residential Units in Durban. In: Magidimisha-Chipungu, H.H., Chipungu, L. (eds) Urban Inclusivity in Southern Africa. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81511-0_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81511-0_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-81510-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-81511-0
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)