Abstract
This dissertation assessed the socio-economic impacts of urban redevelopment in Cato Manor, Durban, South Africa. The Cato Manor Development Project (CMDP) was the largest inner-city urban development project in post-apartheid South Africa. The CMDP aimed at undoing the effects of apartheid planning, which produced unplanned settlements, poverty, intracommunity conflict, and poor urban environmental quality. The project aimed at building affordable homes, schools, libraries, community centres, roads, clinics, and community empowerment through initiatives, including training programmes and the growth of small, micro, and medium-sized businesses. The removal of apartheid rules resulted in no systematic planning for the area, which led to the emergence of unplanned poor community settlements. At the start of the project, there were around 25 000 residents living without any services. The effectiveness of urban redevelopment projects, such as the CMDP, has not been assessed in every aspect, nor have up-to-date concerns been expressed about the pace at which the government has attempted to bring about the necessary transformation. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess how the CMDP affected its citizens. This study adopted qualitative research methods in order to execute its findings. Thematic content analysis was used to examine the research data with interest in identifying pertinent themes as identified by the residents. These residents were randomly selected to give interested parties an equal chance to voice their experiences. The results of the study indicated a series of various socio-economic challenges related to the housing development in the area, among which the most pertinent were unemployment, proper housing, and crime. Cator Manor is a good example of how government initiatives intended to address a social need, can have unintended consequences that end up deepening challenges in a society. This assessment provides a voice for those relegated to the margins of society and provides a thorough evaluation of urban redevelopment initiatives in South Africa and can help government development agencies assess the effects of current and upcoming initiatives.