CITIES FOR PEOPLE IN ZIMBABWE

Large areas of Zimbabwean cites still reflect colonial planning traditions designed to promote racial segregation, which no longer adequately meet the demands of urban areas which are doubling in size every 10-15 years. This paper looks at the evolution, use and perceptions of urban space in Harare, and the extent to which the planning and regulatory system accommodates competing demands on public space in a fast-growing city. It argues that the legislative basis and official attitudes to urban planning and design in Zimbabwe, inherited from pre-independence days, still fail to recognise the needs of the low income population and informal sector employment, and that regulation inhibits the ability of the urban poor to help themselves. Case studies in three areas, the city centre, a low income shopping centre, and a high density housing project, illustrate perceptions of the urban environment. The paper then explores the potential for participatory design to secure a more equitable use of urban space.

DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES

The paper first explores the political and social processes which influence the development of urban form, and the extent to which the literature on urban space design, discussed by leading commentators such as Broadbent, Madanipour, and Southworth & Ben-Joseph, can be used to draw lessons for a developing country city. The roles of different actors and institutions in the development process, explicit influences such as planning and design standards, and covert strategies, such as the desire for racial segregation, are also considered. Finally the concept of sustainable development as described in the work of White, Haughton & Hunter and others is explored.

URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN HARARE

The forces which shaped the physical development of Harare are considered, as, for example, discussed by Zinyama, Rakodi and others. In the early period of settlement a spacious, orderly settlement was planned. The concerns were for a pleasant environment for the settler population, support for a strong manufacturing base, and control of the African labour force. The city centre was laid out on a grid system of roads, reminiscent of new settlements in North Africa, while suburbs in the white areas demonstrated imported principles of planning and design. Planning legislation for these areas was based in text, if not in intent, on the British planning model.

Meanwhile accommodation for the African population within the city was woefully inadequate. Land ownership for Africans was restricted, and the majority of accommodation was rental accommodation for singe male migrants. Where possible, the African population was exported beyond the city limits, to the new town of Chitungwiza and other areas to the south and west of the city.

In the period since independence in 1980, the focus has been on redressing the deficit in housing for low income families. A series of studies and guidance manuals, on the design and construction of low cost urban infrastructure and low income housing, was prepared. These have considerably influenced the provision of public sector housing, mostly sites and services, and core housing projects, as discussed by Musekiwa, Musandu-Nyamayaro and others.

Unusually for a fast-growing city, Harare's authorities have maintained a stance of little or no tolerance for informal sector housing. Squatter settlements are cleared with little public outcry, and their occupants decamped to Porta Farm, a holding camp on the outskirts of the city. Instead, the pressures of rapid urban growth are manifest in high plot occupancy and considerable overcrowding, particularly in low income areas accessible to the city centre. The proliferation of backyard shacks for renting in the inner urban areas causes considerable social pressures, as discussed in the compelling study by Auret. There is also a shortage of middle income housing, as land releases for this sector have been limited in recent years.

The result is a low density, low rise city, in which urban space as a resource is not fully utilised. In order to assess the effects of this development process, case studies were undertaken in the city centre, a low income suburban shopping centre, and an outlying housing area. The work was undertaken with the Department of Rural & Urban Planning, University of Zimbabwe, in a limited budget project. The project identified various areas where regulation provides barriers to the effective use of urban space, and fails to meet the needs of the low income population.

Ineffective use of urban space impacts on the whole urban area, so the paper looks at the use of space both within an area and in the broader context. At a local level, safety and security were high on people's agenda as issues of concern, partly as a result of recent worsening of the economy and corresponding increase in street crime. The restrictions on the location and extent of the informal trading are also a problem. In the wider context, the provision of low income housing on the outer extents of the city, the sheer distance between facilities, lack of recognition of the extent of walking, and restrictions on public transport, make access difficult and restrict opportunities for the urban poor.

In addition, there is a reluctance amongst professionals to adapt to change. Planning is seen as a rigid set of standards and urban space is a by-product of the planning process, not a resource in its own right. The standards reinforce the structural segregation built into the urban system by a colonial administration, and the process of forward planning merely seeks to reinforce the status quo. While NGOs in the cooperative movement are working closely on participative methodologies for housing provision, this approach is not widely used elsewhere to assess the impact of planning policies on the urban poor. The scope for working with communities to respond to current development pressures is considerable, and still largely unexplored.

ESF/N-AERUS: International workshop - Geneva, Palais des Nations - May 3-6, 2000

N-AERUS: Network-Association of European Researchers on Urbanisation in the South
http://www.naerus.net