Is the Charter city not similar to what Lucas Mangope did in the Bophuthatswana (Mahikeng) with industrial, commerce and an airport etc, for example? The EC desperately needs job creation opportunities.
Interesting question. I wonder whether that was just investment in infrastructure or whether there were also institutional changes, like fewer regulations/laws or stronger property rights. I've started Mangope's biography, but haven't reached that part yet!
Mangope was a dynamic leader and I am inclined to believe there were regulatory changes and stronger property. If I am not mistaken he enabled Sun City and provided the political backing because he wanted economic development.
Zakes Mda's acclaimed novel Heart of Redness has this as one of its major themes - the commercial use of communal land and who benefits.
One of the challenges of the lease model is that though the community may benefit materially (assuming a well-managed organisation which honestly and efficiently distributes the proceeds), there may still be a loss of land to live on (if one is not gainfully employed to pay adequate rents), subsistence farm (including cattle grazing land), and to hold traditional and cultural significance (e.g. family graveyards). This may further drive people into the cities, swelling up the already large informal settlements.
I think the point about a chartered city is that it does not actually need that much land. The purpose is not to turn communal lands into large farms. The idea is simply to lease a smallish section of land – say 20 to 30 square kilometres. Of course there will be some cultural significance that must be negotiated, but I think a resourceful leader can make it happen, especially if the benefits are potentially large and sustained.
Is the Charter city not similar to what Lucas Mangope did in the Bophuthatswana (Mahikeng) with industrial, commerce and an airport etc, for example? The EC desperately needs job creation opportunities.
Interesting question. I wonder whether that was just investment in infrastructure or whether there were also institutional changes, like fewer regulations/laws or stronger property rights. I've started Mangope's biography, but haven't reached that part yet!
Mangope was a dynamic leader and I am inclined to believe there were regulatory changes and stronger property. If I am not mistaken he enabled Sun City and provided the political backing because he wanted economic development.
Zakes Mda's acclaimed novel Heart of Redness has this as one of its major themes - the commercial use of communal land and who benefits.
One of the challenges of the lease model is that though the community may benefit materially (assuming a well-managed organisation which honestly and efficiently distributes the proceeds), there may still be a loss of land to live on (if one is not gainfully employed to pay adequate rents), subsistence farm (including cattle grazing land), and to hold traditional and cultural significance (e.g. family graveyards). This may further drive people into the cities, swelling up the already large informal settlements.
I think the point about a chartered city is that it does not actually need that much land. The purpose is not to turn communal lands into large farms. The idea is simply to lease a smallish section of land – say 20 to 30 square kilometres. Of course there will be some cultural significance that must be negotiated, but I think a resourceful leader can make it happen, especially if the benefits are potentially large and sustained.
Quoloranagia...?