Governing the Just Urban Transition (GoJUT)

The project is focused on the context where working towards a JUT in South Africa is complicated by the fact that many South Africans are already living in crisis. Those who live on the economic margins are vulnerable to “everyday crises” as they struggle to make ends meet. To find an effective and inclusive path forward, we must gain a nuanced understanding of people’s existing coping strategies and the political landscape on which they are built. Small business enterprises in low-income areas have the potential to create economic opportunities within areas with critical needs, but are especially vulnerable to infrastructure and service interruptions and resource limits.

The project is based on the premise that a JUT will require co-production among multiple actors including policy makers, businesses and communities. However, we lack an understanding of the de facto governance through which cities currently operate, especially in low-income areas. Our interdisciplinary project focuses on the coping strategies that three types of businesses in low-income areas of Johannesburg and Cape Town use to secure water and energy. By studying negotiated access to water and energy, the project aims to better understand the opportunities for co-produced paths out of crisis towards an equitable, sustainable urban future.

The JUT project adopts a transdisciplinary research approach, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The project will draw on semi-structured interviews, participant observation, overt shadowing, PhotoVoice, Surveys, and collaborative Policy Hub discussions with government stakeholders and decision-makers.

Publications