The changing face of Woodstock : a study of inner-city gentrification

Date
2016-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The term ‘gentrification’ was first coined by sociologist Ruth Glass in 1964 as she studied the inner-city neighbourhoods of London. She found that neighbourhoods experiencing urban decay would be rejuvenated through an invasion of the middle-class, which would subsequently lead to the displacement of the original working-class residents living in the area. According to Glass’s analysis, gentrification has the ability to change and reshape the social geography and social character of an inner-city neighbourhood like Woodstock in Cape Town, the site of my study. The physical and economic changes taking place in Lower Woodstock may also be labelled as ‘rejuvenation’, ‘renewal’ and ‘upgrading’, and in this way be viewed as an attempt by the City of Cape Town to elevate the neighbourhood out of a physically and economically decaying state. Consistent with this view, in 2004 the National Treasury rezoned large parts of Woodstock as Urban Development Zones (UDZ) and implemented the National Treasury’s tax incentives programme to ‘encourage the refurbishment and construction of commercial and residential property in inner-city areas’ (National Treasury, 2004). As these urban changes increasingly take place in Lower Woodstock, poor, working-class residents are increasingly at risk of falling victim to gentrification, by being displaced out of the neighbourhood. The focus of this study is on the longterm residents of Lower Woodstock and their views on the urban changes taking place around them.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die term ‘gentrification' is eers in 1964 geskep deur die sosioloog Ruth Glass toe sy die middestad buurte van Londen bestudeer het. Sy het gevind dat die woonbuurte wat stedelike verval ervaar, deur 'n inval van die middelklas, hernuwing sou beleef, wat daarna tot die verplasing van die oorspronklike werkersklas inwoners van die gebied sou lei. Volgens Glass se analise, het ‘gentrification’ die vermoë om die sosiale geografie en sosiale karakter van ‘n middestad omgewing soos Woodstock in Kaapstad, die terrein van my studie, te verander. Die fisiese en ekonomiese veranderinge wat plaasvind in Laer Woodstock kan ook as ‘vernuwing’, ‘hernuwing’ en ‘opgradering’ beskryf word, en kan dus as’n poging deur die Stad om die omgewing van 'n fisiese en ekonomiese vervallende staat te verhef gesien word. In ooreenstemming met hierdie siening, het die Nasionale Tesourie in 2004, groot dele van Woodstock as stedelike ontwikkelingsones hersoneer en implementeer die Nasionale Tesourie belasting aansporing program geimplementeer, om die opknapping en konstruksie van kommersiële en residensiële eiendomme in die middestad gebiede aan te moedig (Nasionale Tesourie, 2004). Die stedelike veranderinge wat al hoe meer in Laer Woodstock plaasvind, verhoog die risiko dat arm, werkersklas mense uit die gebied ontwortel word. As gevolg hiervan word die inwoners dan slagoffers van ‘gentrification’. Die fokus van hierdie studie is die lang-termyn inwoners van Laer Woodstock en hul standpunte oor die stedelike veranderinge wat rondom hulle plaasvind.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
UCTD, Gentrification -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Urban renewal -- South Africa -- South Africa, Woodstock (Cape Town, South Africa) -- Social conditions, Woodstock (Cape Town, South Africa) -- Economic conditions, Gentrification -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Gentrification -- Economix aspects -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Urban renewal -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Urban renewal -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Relocation (Housing) -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Urban poor -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Working class -- South Affrica -- Cape Town
Citation