GGH3704 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2025 (Answer Guide) - Due 17 September 2025

GGH3704 Assignment 2 Semester 2 2025 (Answer Guide) - Due 17 September 2025 Spatial Segregation and Integration in Post-Apartheid South African Cities: The Case of Johannesburg Introduction Nearly three decades after the fall of apartheid, South African cities continue to struggle with deep-rooted inequalities that are etched into their spatial landscapes. While the democratic transition in 1994 marked the dismantling of racially discriminatory legislation, the physical and social geographies of cities remain heavily shaped by apartheid-era planning (Parnell & Pieterse, 2014). In particular, Johannesburg South Africa’s largest city and economic hub provides a vivid illustration of how historical injustice, socio-economic inequality, and uneven urban development perpetuate spatial segregation. De Beer (2025) argues that “twenty-nine years after the end of apartheid, South African cities continue to be deeply segregated.” This assertion raises important questions about the progress, or lack thereof, in spatial integration and urban transformation. The idea of “deep segregation” implies not only physical separation of communities but also entrenched inequalities in access to housing, services, and economic opportunities. The persistence of such inequalities suggests that spatial justice defined as equitable access to urban resources and opportunities remains elusive. This essay uses Johannesburg as a case study to assess the validity of De Beer’s claim. It argues that while certain forms of class-based mobility and limited integration have emerged in some neighbourhoods, the overall urban form of Johannesburg remains fragmented and unequal