Urban Governance

How a city is governed is a complex and multifaceted issue, involving a range of stakeholders, from local government to the private sector and community leaders, and requires careful consideration of the economic, social, environmental, and political implications of any policy decisions. In South Africa, this complexity is compounded by the fact that cities are highly diverse in terms of settlement type and economic development. Although the state plays important roles in governing cities, the state is not necessarily at the heart of governance or the centre of power in any given context, and rather there are multiple and contesting forms of urban governance where non-state actors hold significant power and influence over urban processes.

Our Urban Governance research programme examines the multiple ways in which these various elements interact with each other and influence decision-making processes. We adopt a range of research methodologies to understand the relationships between different actors, who holds power and how decisions are made within different contexts, to better understand the multiple forms of urban governance that influence the ability of cities to achieve the SDGs and improve the lives of citizens.