Political Power and Housing Provision in Contemporary South Africa: Khutsong Township Settlement Project

Abstract

This article interrogates the power dynamics in Khutsong Township from the prism of applicable theories on urban politics. The housing project in the Khutsong Township was unique due to a change in the initial objective. The intention was a resettlement project due to dolomite hazards; but it eventually became a settlement project. This was a result of the core role-players who affected the outcomes of the project, based on their interpretation of the main aspects. The article reports the empirical study on these power relationships and compares the results to the mentioned urban political theories. From the main findings, it can be concluded that the local power situation in this project is explained best by referring to hyper-pluralism, party hegemony and a negative public choice perspective. The article thereby reveals the unique and dynamic multi-directionality of the power exercised in this case. Thus, the article contributes to understanding power configurations that may emerge in housing projects within South Africa.