Spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane, South Africa (1996-2016)

Abstract

The World urban population is increasing rapidly, in a context in which small, intermediate towns and cities have been found to be inadequately prepared to manage such pressures. One area in which cities have been underperforming is tracking spatial transformation. This study explores spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane from 1996 to 2016. The problem in the study area is that City of Polokwane lacks an integrated framework for tracking spatial transformation. The objectives of the study were to, (i) analyse the legislative and policy framework directions for spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane (ii) map spatial transformation in Polokwane City using spatial indicators, (iii) analyse the drivers of spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane (iii) establish the implications of spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane and (iv) develop an integrated framework for tracking spatial transformation in small and intermediate cities in South Africa. A pragmatic paradigm philosophical approach underpins the study, supplemented by mixed methods research approach and case study strategy. The sample size for the study comprised of 588 households, it was calculated using the Raosoft online sample size calculator. The sampling procedures adopted in this study include purposive sampling, snow ball sampling and stratified random sampling method, resulting in the proportional distribution of the sample in the following nodal areas; Polokwane (327), Seshego (184) and Mankweng (77). The primary data sources for this study included; household spatial transformation questionnaire survey, key expert interviews, observations, and mapping. Secondary data sources included institutional documents and records, key spatial transformation textbooks, geospatial data sets, internet and library datasets where the researcher accessed relevant information on spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane. Data analysis on the 116 mesozones polygons that are linked to the GIS databases containing 1996, 2001, 2011, 2016 census data was guided by the dimensions of spatial transformation mapping triad linked to relevant spatial indicators. The spatial indicators employed agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis, to generate choropleth thematic maps using ArcGIS depicting empirical spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane from 1996 to 2016. Quantitative data analysis was aided with Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) for descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), to determine the drivers and implication of spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane. Qualitative data analysis in this study employed content analysis to gain an in depth understanding of spatial transformation and guide development of an integrated framework for tracking spatial transformation in small and intermediate cities. This was augmented with the use of Atlas.ti, for generating word cloud guided by deductive reasoning approach, and research questions from the study within the purview of critical discourse theoretical framework. The findings for the study provide the following contributions to knowledge on spatial transformation; (i) legislative and policy directions on spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane (ii) maps showing empirical evidence on spatial transformations in the City of Polokwane (1996-2016) (iii) drivers of spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane (iv) social, environmental, economic, government/policy and spatial planning implications of spatial transformation in the City of Polokwane (v) an integrated framework for tracking spatial transformation in small and intermediate cities in South Africa.