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Definition
Townships are defined as areas that were designated under apartheid legislation for exclusive occupation by people classified as blacks, coloreds, and Indians. Townships have a unique and distinct history, which has had a direct impact on the socioeconomic status of these areas and how people perceive and operate within them. Townships have developed an iconic image internationally as the core of where the struggle for freedom was waged. Since the demise of apartheid, townships have undergone dramatic transformation from a homogeneous to a differentiated urban landscape.
Description
In postapartheid South Africa, townships no longer bear the marks of draconian state control as was experienced under National Party rule. The apartheid-created township spaces as experienced in the homogeneity of housing provision, access control, levels of infrastructure (e.g., streets were unpaved, street names, street lights, trees), and...
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Donaldson, R. (2014). South African Township Transformation. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_4186
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_4186
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