Untangling ‘Integration’ in Urban Development Policy Debates

Urban integration is seemingly on the lips of all involved with urban development in South Africa. One can be forgiven for thinking it is the magic bullet that will resolve the many intractable problems that mark South Africa’s cities. Urban integration is the core idea that underpins the unfolding Urban Renewal Strategy of the government. The notion emerges strongly in the recently published Draft White Paper on Urbanisation. It is also at the heart of the Urban Development Framework (UDF) that was launched in 1997 as the government’s policy approach to urban development and reconstruction. Urban integration is indeed ubiquitous in the current policy landscapes of South Africa. Yet, its meaning and its application remains shrouded in confusion, with a tendency for hubris.