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The Lasting Impact of Apartheid-Era Spatial Planning on
Contemporary Housing and Urban Development in South Africa”
INTRODUCTION
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination in
South Africa that existed from 1948 to 1994. It was designed to maintain
white political and economic dominance by separating people according
to race and limiting the rights of the majority black population. Under
apartheid, the government passed a series of laws that strictly controlled
where people of different races could live, work, and own land. These
laws were not only about social separation they were tools to organise
cities and rural areas in ways that favoured white South Africans, while
restricting opportunities and resources for black, Coloured, and Indian
communities.
As a result, settlement patterns were deliberately shaped to enforce
inequality. Black South Africans were often forced to live in peripheral
townships far from economic centres, with poor infrastructure and
limited access to schools, healthcare, and transport. In contrast, white
communities occupied well-serviced, central urban areas. These spatial
divisions made it difficult for non-white populations to access jobs or
improve their living conditions.
Even after apartheid officially ended in 1994, the legacy of these
policies is still visible. South African cities remain racially and