SSCE 311 Notes
Content
Key Definitions
• Urbanization: The extent to which a population in a region consists of city
dwellers or urbanites.
• Urban Growth: The rate at which an urban area’s population increases, primarily
due to urbanization and migration.
• Urban Expansion: The spread of a metropolitan or suburban area into its
surrounding environment.
Urbanization Process
• Two main processes:
1. Natural population increase within urban areas (birth rate minus mortality
rate).
2. Migration from rural to urban areas.
Urbanization in South Africa
• Urban Population (2018):
o Over 66% of South Africa's population lived in urban areas.
o Urban density: 46 inhabitants per square kilometer.
• Opportunities in Urban Areas:
o Employment and leisure attract people to cities.
o Five largest municipalities have populations exceeding 3 million.
• Effects of Urbanization:
o Economic:
▪ Increased real estate prices.
▪ Displacement of original residents.
o Environmental:
▪ Creation of "heat islands," raising urban temperatures by 2-10°F.
▪ Observed trends in suburbanization and counterurbanization due
to infrastructure and social factors.
, Economic Factors Influencing Migration
• Economic migrants are drawn to urban areas for:
o Higher wages.
o Better job opportunities.
o Escaping unfavorable domestic political or social conditions.
• Migrants often come from middle-income countries where education levels are
rising.
• Challenges:
o Salaries for skilled workers remain lower than in developed countries.
o Leads to South-North migration (migration from developing to developed
countries).
Factors for Rural-Urban Migration and Implications in South Africa
• Reasons for Migration:
o Poverty and lack of employment in rural areas.
o Poor access to schools, healthcare, and basic facilities.
o Failure of rural leadership to attract investment and provide alternatives.
o Lack of legal protection for women in traditional courts.
o Desire for urban amenities and opportunities ("lure of bright lights").
• Implications of Migration:
o Overstressed health and social services.
o Inadequate schools and housing.
o Loss of farmland and ecosystems to urban development.
o Disintegration of traditional value systems and family support networks.
o Increased lawlessness, with crime rates such as 57 murders per day.
Development of Towns and Cities
• General Functions:
Content
Key Definitions
• Urbanization: The extent to which a population in a region consists of city
dwellers or urbanites.
• Urban Growth: The rate at which an urban area’s population increases, primarily
due to urbanization and migration.
• Urban Expansion: The spread of a metropolitan or suburban area into its
surrounding environment.
Urbanization Process
• Two main processes:
1. Natural population increase within urban areas (birth rate minus mortality
rate).
2. Migration from rural to urban areas.
Urbanization in South Africa
• Urban Population (2018):
o Over 66% of South Africa's population lived in urban areas.
o Urban density: 46 inhabitants per square kilometer.
• Opportunities in Urban Areas:
o Employment and leisure attract people to cities.
o Five largest municipalities have populations exceeding 3 million.
• Effects of Urbanization:
o Economic:
▪ Increased real estate prices.
▪ Displacement of original residents.
o Environmental:
▪ Creation of "heat islands," raising urban temperatures by 2-10°F.
▪ Observed trends in suburbanization and counterurbanization due
to infrastructure and social factors.
, Economic Factors Influencing Migration
• Economic migrants are drawn to urban areas for:
o Higher wages.
o Better job opportunities.
o Escaping unfavorable domestic political or social conditions.
• Migrants often come from middle-income countries where education levels are
rising.
• Challenges:
o Salaries for skilled workers remain lower than in developed countries.
o Leads to South-North migration (migration from developing to developed
countries).
Factors for Rural-Urban Migration and Implications in South Africa
• Reasons for Migration:
o Poverty and lack of employment in rural areas.
o Poor access to schools, healthcare, and basic facilities.
o Failure of rural leadership to attract investment and provide alternatives.
o Lack of legal protection for women in traditional courts.
o Desire for urban amenities and opportunities ("lure of bright lights").
• Implications of Migration:
o Overstressed health and social services.
o Inadequate schools and housing.
o Loss of farmland and ecosystems to urban development.
o Disintegration of traditional value systems and family support networks.
o Increased lawlessness, with crime rates such as 57 murders per day.
Development of Towns and Cities
• General Functions:
