GENDER INEQUALITY WITHIN SOUTH AFRICAN MUNICIPAL PLANNING SYSTEM: A REVIEW FROM INTERSECTIONALITY

Abstract

Prior 1994, South Africa planning was characterised by discriminatory planning, separate development and oppression. South Africa promulgated the Constitution of South Africa as a Supreme Law that promote inclusivity, decentralisation of planning and good governance. However, the contemporary planning systems post 1994 demonstrate an antagonistic picture in pursuit to effectively inculcate gender into the planning to resolve the developmental challenges confronting the country. The complexity of intersectionality demonstrate that the societal interactions have created social categories which relegated women to the lowest societal hierarchy, thus deter their full participation in local government planning. The embedded ideology that identify men superiority and women inferiority construct unequal power relations and conditions limited women influence in planning. In 2015, women constitute only 39% of all municipal councillors in South African municipalities which demonstrate male domination in politics. The paper is purely a conceptual in nature, and thus reviewed various literature such as government reports, academic journals articles and legislative framework which were analysed through content analysis. The article concludes that there is an urgent policy requirement to resolve an ‘inequality regime’ within local government in order to foster inclusive participation in planning and the promotion of good governance.

Keywords

• Inclusive planning, gender, intersectionality, local government, participation