Persistent segregation: spatial patterns and dynamics of residential segregation in Cape Town

The occurrence of urban segregation is a global phenomenon which is particularly stark in South Africa, where the policy of apartheid not only enforced the segregation of racial groups into dedicated urban areas, but also governed every aspect of life for more than four decades. As a result, more than twenty years into the post-apartheid era, the South African city remains strongly racially segregated. This is further aggravated by socio-economic inequalities akin to other cities in the Global South, with a high presence of informal settlements with sub-standards of living. While there is a wealth of literature on racial segregation in South Africa and an understanding of the interrelated nature of income and racial dimensions of segregation, the question of the extent in which residential segregation is being perpetuated by race or income in South African cities has not been explored quantitatively. Taking the city of Cape Town as a study case, this thesis looks into this question using a combined methodological approach to explore residential segregation by race and income. The thesis explores the role of race and income inequalities in the persistence of residential segregation in Cape Town in a quantitative manner by using two complementary approaches. Spatial segregation indices were applied to measure and map varying segregation patterns throughout the study area. In addition, an agent-based model was developed to explore the dynamics of segregation and the underlying rules of interaction between individuals and groups which produce such segregated patterns. Findings suggest that, although segregation in Cape Town remains predominantly racial, income inequalities strongly contribute to the process as well as add complexity to the phenomenon. The thesis demonstrates that, while the segregation is a clear heritage of the apartheid’s exclusion rules, the current process of residential segregation can only be fully understood by looking at the combined effect of race and income.