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

Yıl 2017, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1, 186 - 201, 01.02.2017

Nj Mokoele

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Inclusive planning, gender, intersectionality, local government, participation