Page 103 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies Redesigning public spaces in South Africa

Vienna, often cited as a pioneer in gender mainstreaming local policymakers, safety officers, non-governmental
within urban design, has implemented a range of organization representatives, and community-based
interventions aimed at making public spaces safer, more organizations. These interviews focused on understanding
accessible, and responsive to the needs of women and the conceptualization of inclusivity, the challenges of
marginalized groups. Similarly, Tunis provides a valuable implementation, and the lived experiences of those who
counterpoint from the Global South, where initiatives navigate and engage with public spaces daily. Special
aimed at reclaiming urban space for women have gained attention was given to eliciting narratives from women,
momentum despite complex sociopolitical constraints. caregivers, youth, and traders, whose voices are often
These global case studies were selected not only for underrepresented in planning processes. The integration
their progressive frameworks but also for their potential of professional and community perspectives facilitated
adaptability to emerging contexts such as South Africa. a deeper analysis of both policy intentions and everyday
practices, revealing the persistent disparities between
On the domestic front, the Durban Beachfront, People’s
Park in Durban, and the Watershed at the V&A Waterfront design and experience.
in Cape Town were selected for their spatial diversity and 2.2.3. Secondary data collection
urban significance. These sites represent a cross-section of Secondary data collection was instrumental in
urban environments that experience high public footfall, contextualizing the primary research and framing it
cater to diverse user groups, and face varying socio-spatial within broader planning and policy paradigms. An
challenges. The Durban Beachfront, for instance, serves as
a high-use recreational corridor intersecting with informal extensive review of existing urban development policies,
trading and tourism, while People’s Park has emerged as a gender mainstreaming guidelines, spatial development
family-oriented green space embedded within a stadium frameworks, and municipal safety strategies was conducted
precinct. The Watershed at the V&A Waterfront presents to identify the extent to which inclusivity is embedded in
a commercially vibrant, privately managed public realm South Africa’s planning discourse. These documents were
analyzed for their normative content and for the operational
within a historically significant urban quarter.
mechanisms through which inclusive design is implemented
Case study selection was informed by several criteria, or constrained within the governance apparatus.
including scale of use, demographic diversity, spatial Academic literature provided further analytical
complexity, and the presence or absence of infrastructural grounding, with peer-reviewed articles, evaluation
provisions for safety, accessibility, and inclusivity. reports, and comparative studies offering insights into
Collectively, these case studies offer a grounded framework both successful and contested models of public space
for examining how inclusive design principles are design. Emphasis was placed on literature that critically
interpreted, contested, and operationalized across different engaged with themes of gender, spatial justice, and urban
urban scales and governance models. inequality, particularly within post-colonial and post-
2.2.2. Primary data collection apartheid contexts. In addition, spatial data—such as base
maps, zoning information, and geographic information
To gain empirical insights into the lived experiences of systems datasets—were utilized to assess connectivity,
users—particularly women and girls—in public spaces, a proximity to transport nodes, walkability, and the spatial
combination of qualitative and spatial methodologies was distribution of amenities. This geospatial layer of analysis
employed during the primary data collection phase. Field helped triangulate findings from the field and literature,
observations were conducted at the three South African enabling a more robust understanding of physical access
case study sites over multiple periods, including weekdays and spatial integration in the case study areas.
and weekends, to capture dynamic usage patterns, levels
of pedestrian activity, and spatial behavior. Observational 2.2.4. Data documentation and organization
checklists were used to document physical features such All data were systematically recorded, coded, and
as seating, lighting, surveillance infrastructure, as well categorized using thematic analysis for qualitative data
as indicators of social interaction, informal economic and statistical tools for quantitative data. This structured
activity, and perceived safety. These observations enabled approach ensured consistency in identifying patterns and
the mapping of exclusionary zones, underutilized areas, drawing meaningful conclusions across the case studies.
and points of conflict or vulnerability.
Complementing the observational data, semi- 2.3. Ethical considerations
structured interviews were conducted with a range This study was conducted in full compliance with the
of stakeholders, including municipal urban planners, highest ethical standards to safeguard the integrity of

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 97 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5813