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The Economic Development of South Africa’s Townships

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The Geography of South Africa

Part of the book series: World Regional Geography Book Series ((WRGBS))

Abstract

Townships are one of the most distinctive elements of the South African cityscape. After decades of economic neglect as dormitory settlements, the economic development of townships is emerging as an important policy issue. This chapter examines township local economic development with its domination by informal economies, past and present. Key themes of concern surround the emergence of new economic bases for a formal economy, especially in leisure and hospitality services, the role of the informal economy, and of national government-led initiatives for enterprise formalisation. In addition, controversies surrounding the involvement of international migrant entrepreneurs in township businesses are discussed. Overall, township economic development is a critical research agenda for urban and economic geographers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Christian M. Rogerson

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  1. Christian M. Rogerson
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Correspondence to Christian M. Rogerson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Archaeology & Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Jasper Knight

  2. School of Tourism and Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Christian M. Rogerson

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Rogerson, C.M. (2019). The Economic Development of South Africa’s Townships. In: Knight, J., Rogerson, C. (eds) The Geography of South Africa . World Regional Geography Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94974-1_20

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