Fragmented Governance in South African Cities: The Dilemmas of Planning and Management

The paper aimed to investigate the fragmented governance in South African cities which creates dilemmas in planning and management of urbanisation. Urbanisation is unstoppable, irreversible and inevitable in both developing and developed countries. The inevitability of urbanisation, therefore, underscores the need for effective planning and management of this process to guide orderly sustainable urban development and the attainment of sustainable cities. However, the fragmentary governance and exclusive planning, which find their etymology from colonialism, continue to manifest in South African municipalities post-independence. South African cities were ill-prepared to cater for the increasing urban population, which resulted in unplanned settlements, traffic congestion, service delivery backlog and overconsumption of resources. This spatial planning has created cities where the low-income people bear the brunt of commuting every day to access the cities. The study is grounded in resilient theory, which provides urban planners with a methodological approach to ensure that cities are operational post perturbation. Fragmentary governance and exclusionary planning need to be relinquished as a matter of state policy and promote inclusive cities. The paper recommended that local municipalities must acquire capacitated and ethical employees to circumvent the misuse of municipal funds.