Abstract
This thesis investigates the persistent disconnection between transport and land use planning in Windhoek, Namibia, a medium-sized African capital city struggling with rapid urbanisation, spatial inequality, and infrastructural deficits. The research addressed four interrelated objectives: (1) to analyse the relationships between urban form characteristics and mode choice in African cities; (2) to examine the correlation between neighbourhood characteristics, land use patterns, commuting behaviour, and the use of formal and informal public transport modes in Windhoek; (3) to investigate the associations between urban form, neighbourhood characteristics, socio-economic factors and commuting mode choice and neighbourhood-level active travel in Windhoek, Namibia; and (4) to examine the associations between socio-economic variables, neighbourhood perceptions, spatial characteristics, and non-commuting travel behaviour within compact and sprawled neighbourhoods. A mixed-method design was adopted, combining a systematic review of African urban mobility literature with three empirical studies based on a stratified household survey of 1,000 residents, GIS-derived spatial indicators, and regression modelling techniques.
The first study in Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of 22 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2023 that examined the relationship between urban form and mode choice in African cities. The review identified density, land-use mix, connectivity, and accessibility as central determinants of sustainable mobility, while also highlighting significant methodological and regional gaps, particularly the underrepresentation of Southern African contexts. The analysis also showed that high-density and mixed-use environments in African cities, such as Cairo and Kigali were associated with increased walking, cycling, and public transport use, while sprawling forms in Lagos and Johannesburg contributed to car dependency. Socio-economic inequalities, governance frameworks, and cultural norms were also found to be influential. These results demonstrate the need for context-specific planning strategies and more robust methodologies, including longitudinal and mixed-method designs.
Chapter 3 presents paper 2, which examined the correlates of formal and informal public transport usage in Windhoek. Using household survey data and multiple linear regression models, the study investigated the correlates of municipal buses (formal), traditional taxis, and emerging e-hailing services (informal) use. Accessibility-related variables, particularly proximity to bus stops and service frequency, were found to be the strongest predictors of formal bus use, while affordability and service quality shaped taxi usage. E-hailing adoption...