Bellville CBD:
culture & public life
Bellville CBD:
culture & public life
Our Future Cities | Future Cape Town Sea Point Cape Town, South Africa 8005
December 2016
Acknowledgements
This work involved many interviews and conversations with people directly or indirectly involved with the Bellville CBD and broader Voortrekker Road Corridor. We are grateful to the many people who met with us and shared their insight, and to the staff at the Greater Tygerberg Partnership
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Contributors
Our Future Cities | Future Cape Town Sea Point Cape Town, South Africa 8005
Our Future Cities NPO is an independent non profit and consultancy promoting democracy and actions towards the creation of more equitable, progressive and bold cities. It comprises Future Cape Town and Future Lagos, which works in its respective cities. Through social media, publishing, events, research, and creative collaborations with the public, private and civil society sector, the organisation expands citizen access to urbanism, and in particular public information related to city planning, urban design, and architecture. The organisation was founded by Rashiq Fataar in 2010.
Rashiq Fataar (Project Lead)
Sharyn Sassen (Lead Researcher)
Sophie JĂŠsus (Assistant Researcher)
Anna Abenhaim (Assistant Researcher)
Contents
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Introduction Research Aim
Objectives Research Questions Background Information Limitations of Study
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Research Design Participants selection Data collection methods Ethical Considerations
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Data Analysis and Findings
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Discussion
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Recommendations
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Appendices
Terms of reference
In October 2016, Future Cape Town (FCT) was commissioned by the Greater Tygerberg
According to the GTP’s strategic document, the vision for the Bellville CBD is a three-
Partnership (GTP) to conduct “A study of the
pronged picture - a student hub, a vibrant
social and cultural identities, realities and
downtown and a cultural precinct; where each
opportunities active within the Bellville CBD
part is interdependent and influence the other.
precinct�.
The potential placemaking initiatives and activations would hence need to feed into this
According to the Terms of Reference, the
broader vision, recognising the ongoing
purpose of the research aims to understand
development of the identity of the Bellville
the various communities and their social/ cultural practices in order to develop a value
CBD.
offering for the Bellville CBD that can inform placemaking initiatives and activations.
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01 INTRODUCTION
Focus Area
For the purposes of this research study, the focus area, referred to as the Bellville CBD Focus area (red border) is defined as : • The area south of Voortrekker Road, between between Durban Road and Charl Malan Street and ending at the entrance of the Bellville Station precinct (i.e. excluding the Bellville Station precinct) • In addition, the area south of Voortrekker Road, from Boston Street, to Durban Road, wrapping around the edge of Elizabeth Park on A J W Street towards Durban Road
Bellville CBD Focus Area and broader context
• In addition, broadly the bus and taxi rank area located where Charl Malan and Bellrail Road intersection • In addition, the area bound by Teddington Road, Durban Road (including the buildings which intersect the park, and Voortrekker Road, and where the alignment of Vrede Street is perpendicular to Durban Road
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01 A street scene on Durban Road outside the Bellville Station shopping centre 02 A lone person outside the SARS building 03 Women and children seen crossing Cross Street on the weekend 04 A view of Kruskal Avenue towards Bellville Station 05 An entrance to the Middestad Mall
Aims and Objectives
Research Aim
Limitations of the study
To gain an understanding of the various communities and their social/ cultural practices within the focus area, to inform future placemaking initiatives and activations.
The timeframe and resources available to FCT to undertake the research study was limited (5-6 weeks). To study cultural dynamics requires experiencing culture, which was pursued to some extent, but relations and trust needs to be developed over time, though being involved with various groups, by participating and developing insider experience.
Objectives • Identify key cultural groups and their social & cultural norms • Identify barriers/facilitators to meaningful social and cultural participation for diverse populations • Map and report these social and cultural insights Research Questions What are the cultural groups and communities residing in and using the Bellville CBD precinct? What are common cultural practices of these communities? (Commonly practiced vs actually observed) How and where do these communities make use the Bellville CBD precinct for social and cultural activities?
The second limitation relates to the incongruence and lack of correlation in Census data for the 2001 and 2011 periods, for the “Bellville” areas and its associated suburbs. In some cases boundaries have changed, merged, or information for the particular focus area was not available.
Background Information
This section provides a background to the study, particularly relating to the demographics, public life and perceptions associated with culture in the focus area. This information was gathered through desktop research which included academic sources, non-academic sources, news articles and video material.
Demographics: People, groups and communities This first theme covers the demographic aspects of the Bellville CBD focus area, with a focus on the people, groups and communities that live, work and play within this area. The Bellville CBD is described as “a community of migrants” (Brudvig, 2013) and the groups and communities in the Bellville CBD are described as “mixed and diverse communities that are integrated » (Brudvig, 2013 and Africa Witness, 2011). In a blog at the Future Cape Town website published in 2013 the writer comments that the “monocultural traditional Bellville (surroundings) stands very much in contrast with multicultural Bellville CBD” The focus area hosts a “large and diverse population of both South Africans and foreigners – from countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Kenya, Jordan, Pakistan and Bangladesh amongst others – who have migrated to the area seeking work and income generating opportunities, such as informal trading, shop keeping, and other ad hoc livelihoods”.
This is further reflected in the diversity of the informal traders, in an infographic by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership, with research data showing the distribution of nationalities within the Bellville CBD: •Somalia 51% •South Africa 33% •DRC 4% •Nigeria 4% •Malawi 4% •Tanzania 4% •Zambia 4% According to the Somali Association of South Africa there are over 60,000 Somalis residing in South Africa and approximately 15,000 Somalis residing in Cape Town. In a news article in 2011, it was then estimated that about 5,000 Somalis live and own businesses in the Bellville CBD, and each month about 50 more Somalis enter the area. A key learning that can be drawn from the above information, suggests that the population in the focus area comprise a mix of African nationalities (majority Somali) including South Africans, who live within relative harmony.
Background Information
Public Life: Spaces, interactions and participation The second theme addresses the public life within the Bellville CBD, through people’s use of space, interactions with each other and participation in activities. This section includes different aspects of the public life in Bellville CBD, notably the public spaces, social interactions, the living conditions, religious participation, and the crime levels. Brudvig describes the public environment as comprising “monolithic beige buildings reminiscent of Apartheid era government structures (that)stand parallel to a bustling marketplace filled with Valentine’s Day singing bears, mannequins in bright yellow, green and red jeans, and buildings such as Wonderful Plaza where a diversity of people interact daily”. This is supported by the Future Cape Town blog referenced above which states that this these surroundings are “in contrast with the multicultural Bellville CBD”. The level of crime in the focus area is considered to be a challenge. A CCTV camera captured an ATM bombing incident in March 2015 with little or no response from nearby security guards, while other illegal activity e.g. prostitution is documented in a video report by Netwerk24 relating to illegal shelters being erected in Maree Park and local residents’ related safety concerns.
The focus area became part of City of Cape Town ‘Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme’ in 2012 which aims to “uplift former neglected, dysfunction areas” comprising 12 nodes across Cape Town. In parallel, the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID) formed in 2012 provides top-up safety and cleansing services in the Bellville area. A significant part of public life in Bellville CBD relates to religious activities. According to various sources traditional religious and cultural expressions co-exist within the Bellville CBD (Somali mosque and calls to prayer, churches, traditional dress and non-traditional dress) according to some sources. (Africa Witness, 2011) Much of the public life is also influenced by informal trading by traders from various African countries. In the report ‘Somalinomics’ by Gastrow and Amit, conclusions are drawn around the trading habits and practices of Somali traders, of which some are located in the Bellville CBD. Of particular relevance it states that “Somali trade activities rely on cooperation and support between shopkeepers, target areas with high pedestrian traffic and continually adapt their services to draw more customers.” The key trade practices of Somali shops that directly relate to public life also include: guarding of shop contents by sleeping in shops or in rooms behind shops, early opening and late closing times and customer-focussed practices.
Background Information
According to an infographic created by GTP, the busiest day for trading in Bellville CBD is Saturday, with 46% of the total trading activity happening, followed by Friday with 25% of the trading activity. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday count for 2% each of the trading activity, while Wednesday and Sunday show 0% activity. When interviewed, businesses listed the location as the main advantage of running a business in Bellville CBD (50,7%) but the proximity to markets and the loyalty of the local customer was considered as important (49,3%). Other reasons provided was the proximity to key suppliers (40,85%) and the reliability of the transport and freight systems (32,39%). Public life is also captured in an online video which shows everyday life situations of the Somali community in Bellville. In the video shopkeepers are seen trading, people entering and leaving an internet café and many people walking in the street with music playing in the background.
Brudvig comments that the public life in the focus area is neither purely local or purely global : “Bellville represents the idea that the local is not just the other of the global; but rather that the local and the global interact to produce spaces that are representative of global flows” and that “identities are under construction and co-constructed alongside public space”. A key learning which can be drawn in relation to public life in the focus area is the importance of public space and the broader public realm comprising various actors and agents in public life. One could suggest that public space has a key role in enhancing people’s interactions with each other, and ultimately their sense of integration and belonging.
Background Information
Perceptions: Attitudes, views and thoughts There are multiple perceptions about the area, some reasonable, and others less reasonable, that relate to the sense of belonging and safety in the Bellville CBD. Given the extent and reach of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, it is noted in various sources that the focus area is considered a safer area for migrants or foreign nationals. In a news article in 2011 it is quoted: "As a Somali you are seen as a stranger and a soft target in South Africa. Bellville is the central place and it’s the only place we feel safe. Brudvig also questions: “is Bellville safe or just safer?”. " While the focus area has good levels of tolerance amongst people, strong perceptions remain that the mixing of cultures within the focus area does not continue into the suburbs. Indeed, tensions in public life are noted in relation to religious practices among the different communities on the borders or edges of the focus area. In research conducted by Van Rooyen, G (2013), it is pointed out that “the prayer room (above railway station) caused much controversy and grief for the residents, who complained that the prayer room’s loudspeaker would disturb them in the early morning when Muslims recite their first prayer for the day.” Other Bellville residents commented that “people should learn to accept it”.
There are a number of unrealistic or unfounded perceptions about the number, activities and intentions of foreign nationals living and/or working in the area. Indeed, there is a perception that there are many more Somalis in the focus area than there actually are and a misconception about them owning the majority of the shops and therefore “ruling” public life in the focus area.
In a blog post by a religious group, they comment that “they (Somalis) own most of the shops, internet cafes and outside stalls in the area … It seems to be the “headquarters” of Somalis in the Western Cape”. These perceptions are revealed to be inaccurate. Indeed, in an interview of a shop owner by Van Rooyen, the interviewee reveals that "it is a misconception that most of the people you see in the CBD are Somalis … Many of them are Ethiopians who look very similar to Somalis. There are also Bengalis and Congolese that work here." This is further supported by the interviewee pointing out “90% of the shops in the mall are owned, not by Somalis, but Ethiopians. He pursues stating that “the Somalis that come here now are drug lords” reflecting a rather negative attitude towards Somalis that trade in the Bellville Station area. In relation to the number of Somalis in the focus area, erroneous statements have also been noted, with unrealistic estimates of “approximately 120 000 Somalis”.
Background Information
Van Rooyen further notes that the language barrier is perceived as one of the greatest challenges faced by the migrants, and especially the Somalis, who want to integrate in South African society. In a report by the Development Action Group (DAG) the living conditions in the Bellville CBD are described as “not necessarily comfortable”. In the survey included in the report interviewees considered it “functional and central to live in Bellville CBD”, while foreign nationals living and working in the area described accommodation as “expensive and overcrowded”. The dirtiness of the area, the presence of Somalis, the area being experienced as dangerous, and finally the cost of accommodation, were some of the reasons given by interviewees for not wanting to live in the Bellville CBD. More generally, crime, the presence of foreigners, the overcrowded
Brudvig comments that the public life in the focus area is neither purely local or purely global : “Bellville represents the idea that the local is not just the other of the global; but rather that the local and the global interact to produce spaces that are representative of global flows” and that “identities are under construction and co-constructed alongside public space”.
A key learning which can be drawn in relation to public life in the focus area is the importance of public space and the broader public realm comprising various actors and agents in public life. One could suggest that public space has a key role in enhancing people’s interactions with each other, and ultimately their sense of integration and belonging.
02 RESEARCH DESIGN
“Art has the capacity to make people think. Dialogue has the potential to help people understand. Culture has the power to change societies� - Prince Claus Fund (2016)
Underpinning constructs and perspectives
The following theoretical constructs grounded our ethnographic inquiry into cultural participations and product offerings of the Bellville CBD. Cultural is central to individual and collective well-being The research team approached this study with an underlying perspective that culture is significant in the well-being of individuals and collectives. Culture impacts human identity which reinforces a sense of belonging and meaning in everyday life. Belonging and meaning are critical elements of well-being (Whalley Hammell and Iwama, 2012). Culture underwrites how people belong through framing one’s place in the world. One’s way of being in the world (or, their self-functioning) is where the biological entity becomes a meaningfull entity as a person in a social world. Human sense of self in the world is the basis of the cultural-specific being. Sociocultural participation informs ways of being in the world at an individual level as well as community level. Culture informs how to be and do, contributing to interdependence as well as sense of self (Markus, Mullally and Kitayama, 1997). Indeed, cultural heritage or affiliation provides a meaningful sense of belonging for those participating in and through Bellville. Yet , we see that finding a place in the world is tied to living, representing and being represented in the city. Cities (or central urban locations like the Bellville CBD) provide a place for strangers and foreigners to seek and find work, sociality and these buildings blocks for life and representation (Georgiou, 2006).
If our culture shapes how and who we are in our space, then it follows that our spaces might come to bear on whether we may participate in ways that are culturally meaningful. We hold that urban spaces can both represent or stifle the cultural expressions of the people within them. The interconnectedness of place, media and culture is key As our world grows increasingly more complex, intertwined and yet fragmented, so should the urgency for open cultural exchange and understanding (Prince Claus Fund, accessed 2016). Urbanists maintain the perspective that the physical and social dynamics of public space are critical in the formation of public culture (Amin, 2006). While the physical aspects of place are important, they should be considered in parallel with creation welcoming social and cultural spaces (Knapp, 2009). Like Carr, Francis, Rivlin and Stone (1993), we hold that well organised and designed public space creates a temporary bond between otherwise different people. It allows one to see people different from oneself responding to the same setting in similar ways, creating the potential for social communion and increasing our disposition towards the other. Cultural groups share ideas about how to be, who they are, what is possible and what is not and these ideas are reflected in a range of culturally significant metaphors, images, stories, and symbols (Markus, Mullally and Kitayama, 1997).
Underpinning constructs and perspectives
In multicultural urban areas like the Bellville CBD, we expect that experiences of diversity may influence both the cultural activities and processes of seeking representation. Various groups may be more known than others and ways of cultural representation may not be obvious in the built environment. Media, communication and other expressions could carry clear messages about the social and cultural place that various groups hold in the CBD. In fact, we identify that multicultural living involves complex, everyday acts of advancing citizenship and seeking representation in a culturally diverse space like the Bellville CBD (Georgiou, 2006).
Essentially, we align with ethnicity theory in emphasising the importance of spaces that reflect diverse cultural values and preferences of relevant communities. Therefore, we perceive a successful multicultural place as fostering social and cultural interaction whilst creating spaces where individual cultures can be celebrated. 01 A street advertisement for a local hairdresser 02 Signage at a Barber Shop 03 Signage for the “Uncle Shop� general retailer 04 An array of signage wrapping a commercial building
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Methodology
Sample Population Selective sampling ensured a diverse and representative sample of the multicultural population living, working and frequently transitioning through the focus area. We drew on existing relationships held by The GTP with stakeholders in the area. Participants were included who have been actively engaging in life in the Bellville CBD for a minimum of a 3 months. These individuals were seen as having significant knowledge on the cultural life of the focus area. Additionally, individuals were included if they had expert knowledge on the area through their occupation or studies. To ensure the information gathered reflected the diverse voices of individuals living, working and moving in the focus area, our team specifically sought participants from a variety of socio-economic, ethnic and generational groups.
According to the objectives and scope of the study, we found it essential to include at least one of the following individuals in the sample group: •A participant from prevalent foreign national communities in the area (i.e participants of Somalian or Ethiopian) •A student or young adult participant •A local, Western Cape participant •An expert participant (i.e an individual working with/ studying the area).
Methodology
Methods Our ethnographic inquiry into cultural participation in the focus area involved three specific methods of data collection: Participant observations Passive participant observations involve observing cultural and social activities from within the focus area, without participating directly in these activities (Spradley, 1980). The research team selected 3 separate occasions for observing cultural participation in the focus area with the following rationales:
In addition, observations allow collection of data that is unmentioned or unmentionable due to interpersonal dynamics and politics (Marshall and Rossman, 1995). Field notes were made throughout site visits and photographs were taken where possible. The information collected during site visits, in corroboration with interview and desktop research data, was vital to ensuring validity of the study (DeWalt and DeWalt, 2002). Semi-structured interviews Our research team conducted several informal, semi-structured interviews. Interviews occurred in person, telephonically or via Skype call depending on participant availability.
Weekday afternoon
Peak time for activity in the CBD for observing which people groups are active in various areas and the type of activities and interactions taking place.
Descriptive and semi-structured interviews enabled the collection of unique information held by participants, which we would have otherwise been unable to fully observe within the unfamiliar cultural dynamics of the Bellville CBD. By interviewing various participants we were able to get an aggregate of information about diverse experiences of cultural participation and offerings in the area (Stake, 2010).
Weekend mid to late morning
To observe social and leisure interactions and activities.
Collateral material.
Site visit time
Rationale
Weekday mid morning
To gather initial, general information about cultural life and spaces in the focus area.
Passive participant observations enabled the team to gather objective information about phenomena described in collateral material and in interviews, giving researchers an awareness of any distortions or nuances in interview descriptions .
The researchers included various collateral material such as videos, online and print media, and reports to corroborate with information gained through interviews and site visits.
Methodology
Rigour Despite the relatively small scope of the study, rigour was prioritised in the research design through data and methodological triangulation (Flick, 2006). Our study relied on a variety of data sources (videos, articles, interviews and studies) as well as data collection methods (interviews, field notes and photographs).
Ethics The research team navigated their access to the focus area with sensitivity, acknowledging their position as outsiders to the social and cultural contexts of the Bellville CBD. Through our relationship with GTP, we had privileged access to information through relevant stakeholder contacts.
These relationships were handled with care, ensuring autonomy through informing interviewees of the study purpose and potential benefits, and gaining verbal consent (Liamputtong, 2009). Although there are no direct or immediate benefit to those involved in the study, participants were informed that this study will inform future placemaking initiatives to the benefit of those in the area. Foreign nationals and immigrants are perceived as potential vulnerable groups, targeted in xenophobic attacks and experiencing the difficulties associated with settling and integrating in a different county (Liamputtong, 2009). The researchers prioritised the rights of foreign participants through sensitivity to issues of injustice faced by immigrants. Foreign participants were made aware of their right not to participate.
03 DATA ANALYSIS & FINDINGS
Key Themes
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Different groups function amiably in this key focus area, creating a sense of community amidst cultural difference
Identities, culture and the use of space are under construction as global and local interconnect to make a place for themselves in the world
Despite descriptions of multiple cultures participating amiably alongside one another within the focus area, there are some disjunctures in experiences of connectedness of and space
Data Analysis & Findings
Data analysis
Findings
Early immersion in the collected data allowed thorough analysis. Data such as interview notes, field notes, reflective journals, photographs and various collateral material was broken up into meaningful components relating to the research objectives, coded and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Inductive analysis validates the themes and categories as arising from the data itself, rather than from the researcher team’s own assumptions (Murchison, 2010).
Four main categories arose during data analysis, giving rise to one key theme: Cultural cohesion and isolation in Bellville CBD: Towards functional participation in a diverse society. The theme describes the flux and resultant tensions experienced by diverse groups’ participating in this vital part of Bellville. The Bellville CBD, in particular our focus area, serves as a vital space for everyday functioning despite social, cultural and economic status. While diverse people groups find meaningful commune and participation in the area, their co-existence relies on dichotomies of connectivity and isolation. The Bellville CBD is South African and East African. It is convivial and uncomfortable. It is safer but not safe. It is home and it is foreign. Architecturally, the CBD is reminiscent of afrikanerdom and yet the space is bustling with a mixture of black African nationals and Cape Malay locals. Amidst these disjunctures is a unique and convivial co-existence of individuals who are there to make the most of this cultural utility hub. The data presented in the categories below will reveal how this thematic picture was painted. Each category will be described according to its subcategories, with examples of the descriptive codes & data excerpts comprising the subcategories.
01 Multicultural co-existence and community in shared space This category portrays the communal performance of activities in shared space that result in mutual respect and amiability. Different groups function amiably in this key focus area, creating a sense of community amidst cultural difference. Two sub categories informed this category: (1) Co-existence of diverse groups The data revealed a multi-cultural array of groups living and working in, or moving through, the area. This extends beyond a resentful coexistence. Diverse groups interact and share the space with mutual respect and acknowledgement of various cultural participations. • Somalian men play street soccer at night when the roads are quieter. • Various restaurants and retailers enjoy the business of locals and foreign nationals • A variety of ethnic and religious groups interact amicably as they go about their activities.
(2) Impact of place on sense of community The data indicated that the expressions of social and cultural participation, whether convivial or not, were tied to place in various ways. • Particular locations attract certain groups: The library draws a variety of individuals to share a space in a cordial way. Certain coffee shops draw groups of somalis who then socialise in and around that space. • Informal traders create bustling and vibrant streets, drawing a mixture of people. The busyness and foot traffic congestion result in pedestrians walking in busy roads and unsheltered areas. Additionally, foot traffic congestion areas are targeted for petty theft as well. • Groups gathering where space allows: Group of somali men sit together on the grass in the park. Homeless men sit alone on isolated park benches, families cram onto picnic tables outside takeaway restaurants. Young adults hang out together along a low wall-come-bench on Kruskal Avenue. Various groups gather, chat and read around tables in the library.
02 Forging a meaningful place for diverse groups
Demographic and socio-cultural dynamics in Bellville CBD are in flux. Identities, culture and the use of space are under construction as global and local interconnect to make a place for themselves in the world. The data depicted how locals and foreign nations both found a place for themselves and worked to create a place for themselves through their performance in the Bellville CBD. Individuals found a place for themselves to call home by making use of the readily available livelihood and mobility opportunities. Yet, while individuals find a space to participate in the CBD, they may not easily find a space to call home. Two subcategories informed these concepts: (1) Functional opportunities and limited cultural expression The Bellville CBD is a highly functional space, packed with opportunities for the local or foreign consumer and income generator alike. The area provides place to live, work and to be at a basic, functional level. People move through and function in it with limited representation or expressions of ownership.
• People make use of the transport nodes as a business hubs, with a constant flow of people in and out of the area. • The area feels busy, during the week people are working and shopping, on weekends they are shopping at the malls and stalls, eating at the various restaurants and socialising in public spaces. Different groups have access to their preferred traditional cuisine and goods. • There is relatively limited expressions of cultural identities and representation of various groups. Those owning or occupying a piece of the area (shop or restaurant owners) express cultural identities through traditionally named and decorated shops and restaurants. Beyond this, there is a significant sense of anonymity of various cultures depicted in the spaces and places within the focus area. In addition, there is a hesitance to use public space and a lack of public participation around issues affecting the space.
02 Forging a meaningful place for diverse groups
(2) The potential to be an inspirational place beyond practical utility The Bellville CBD offers high functionality, meeting livelihood, accommodation and transport needs. Yet, various groups in the area experience difficulty with everyday life and have a desire to see it become a place that provides further for meaningful everyday participation. • The community have something to offer local and foreign tourists to the area, yet these offerings are not overtly obvious. • There is a desire for more overt displays of specific cultural identities or participations amid the bustling CBD area. These expressions of a diverse community are perceived as a unique offering to local and foreign tourists to the area.
Concept for a bubble structure at the Hirshorn Museum in Washington DC.
• Locals and foreign nationals express a desire to see public space enhanced through improved law enforcement and safety, pedestrianized areas, spaces that promote meaningful activities and enjoyment, comfortably accommodation, and more. The Bellville CBD offers so much to various cultural groups in the way of mobility, shopping, working and studying. Yet, the area holds promise to be more than practical for different cultures. The data suggests the possible to promote a sense of ownership and representation of the various cultural identities in the area, while enhancing the fit between these groups and the spaces they use in their daily functioning.
Crown Fountain at Millennium Park in Chicago.
03 Disjunctures in cultural participation and space
The data expressed experiences of conviviality as dwindling beyond the CBD. Furthermore, despite descriptions of multiple cultures participating amiably alongside one another within the focus area, there are some disjunctures in experiences of connectedness of and space. (1) Disconnect between people and space • The built environment displays traditional afrikaans architecture while the streets are filled with local and foreign black Africans from diverse cultural heritages • Multiple cultures co-exist in the CBD and yet this multicultural centre experiences tension with the monocultural suburbs that surround it. Outsiders to this multicultural centre feel like strangers and become less comfortable in the CBD.
(2) Disjunctures in experiences of safety • Foreign nationals experience the Bellville CBD as safer than other areas in the Cape Town metropole, and yet Bellville is not experienced as safe. The data describes muggings, cons, pick pocketing, gangsterism and, dealing and abuse of substances. • Foreign nationals don’t experience xenophobic violence or attacks, yet some tension exists between locals and East African individuals. • Men move freely through the city at all times, while women and children are seen less frequently with women experience less sense of safety. Although diverse groups of people might experience conviviality in the CBD, the data indicates that experiences are fluid and not necessarily reflective of cohesion with community and space. Disjunctures in experiences of connectivity and fit with space affect the sense of freedom and ability to express cultural identity and enjoy public space.
Campo de la Cebada is an open cultural space built in Madrid by the community in an abandoned public complex.
04 DISCUSSION
01 Culture & Place
Implications for well-being
Underpinning theory: Culture is central to individual and collective well-being The research team approached this study with an underlying perspective that culture is significant in the well-being of individuals and collectives. Culture impacts human identity which reinforces a sense of belonging and meaning in everyday life. Belonging and meaning are critical elements of well-being (Whalley Hammell and Iwama, 2012). If our culture shapes how and who we are in our space, then it follows that our spaces might come to bear on whether we may participate in ways that are culturally meaningful. We hold that urban spaces can both represent or stifle the cultural expressions of the people within them.
Subcategory 2.1 : “Functional opportunities and limited cultural expression� If people are not able to meaningfully engage in cultural expression and important social cultural activities in an area, the area will remain one of functionality and not a space where people experience a sense of well-being or where there is no meaningful contribution to their well-being provided through where they live or work. There is a potential to enhance cultural participation and expression through activities in the area, with implications for well-being. One could consider that the activities should relate both with one’s culture but should also be integrated with the built and other cultural infrastructure aspects that already do work or have potential to host or support cultural activities. The findings have thus far noted the strong culture related to trade in the focus area, and the movement of people and vehicles in this area should be more closely tied to the national infrastructure and planning efforts related to the Voortrekker Road Corridor (as part of the national Urban Networks strategy). Given the intersection of Kruskal Avenue with Voortrekker Road, and the importance of the Bellville Station precinct at a local and regional level, local entities should advocate for spending to support cultural programming which can further support (and link into) research and planning processes (e.g. public engagement) related to infrastructure projects.
01 Culture & Place
Implications for well-being
On a more practical level, various locations along Kruskal avenue should be identified for culturally appropriate programming, led and supported by those local to the area. This programming should extend beyond once-off events, and should include changes to the design of infrastructure and public spaces, which allow for more daily use e.g. creating circular low walls, 5 a side football fields, and amphitheatre-like areas for dialogue and debate. Further to this, processes to access existing spaces and places for cultural expression should be made clearer, and should be shared in multiple languages to further incentivise and encourage cultural expression.
Subcategory 2.2 : “The potential to be an inspirational place beyond practical utility� If people only experience the area as a place of practical utility, and not a place to source or gain inspiration from, their sense of attachment and belonging to the area would be limited, and this would impact their well-being. One could also consider that places of inspiration attract a wide variety of people, beyond those working, living or moving through the area on a daily basis e.g. Sea Point Promenade. For people in the focus area, seeing different persons, groups or communities that are not typical of the area, has the potential to improve their well-being ; through a reduced sense of isolation from the broader city, potential for greater levels of tolerance, enhanced opportunities for exchange and interaction and the potential for a greater sense of pride (not only related to trade, and business).
01 Culture & Place
Implications for well-being
There is great potential for the Bellville CBD focus area to become an inspirational place, given the access to cultural and social resources and its importance in the broader city plan i.e. Voortrekker Road corridor project as well as some of the existing features of the built environment. Various places in the CBD were found to either promote and celebrate cultural participation or identity (EG. ethiopian coffee shop and internet cafe, frequented by ethiopian men, playing board games and drinking coffee outside in front of the store). Given the complexities and spatial divides across the Cape Town metropolitan region, it may require that the elements that contribute towards developing an inspirational place be of a significant quality, and scale to attract people from across the city. The inspirational place(s) could contribute towards creating a civic commons or sense of common ground, that relate to and includes a wide variety of groups and communities. The absence of a central square or plaza in the focus area should not be seen as limiting within the context of the focus area, as Kruskal avenue, and its linear design, and existing role as a central spine could play this role more effectively. A focus on safety, creativity, culture, placemaking and improved signage, could contribute to a greater sense of well-being.
Subcategory 3.2 : “Disjunctures in experiences of safety� If there are vast differences in the sense of security and experiences of safety in the CBD focus area, people will have different levels of well-being based on their experiences. Within the Cape Town context, a sense of fear or isolated incidents of crime contributes to the perceived levels of instability, and may impact business and trade if people outside of the focus area are no longer attracted to the area or do not consider it a safe area to shop, or experience in any form. While the research and in particular the site visits, do suggest that additional and consistent law enforcement is required across the focus area, this should not be considered as a solution. The role of culture and cultural activities and programming in perceived zones of crime could explored e.g. night time activities in areas considered to be dangerous. The language barriers could also be overcome if people were able to share their concerns, insights and information relating to crime and insecurity in different languages.
02 Culture and community
Implications for interconnectedness
Subcategory 1.1 : “Coexistence of diverse groups” Our findings relate to the coexistence of diverse groups. What does this means for our study in terms of interconnectedness? How do we link interconnectedness of place, media, culture, with this coexistence? The different groups and communities living in Bellville have a lot in common, in the ways that they live, work and play, and it is crucial for them to become aware of these common interests they are sharing in order to start feeling connected both with one another, and to their common and shared space. While there is a sense of coexistence, efforts should be made to improve spaces, for them to become safer places of encounter, that foster more meaningful interactions and participation, for all types of residents, including women and children.
Subcategory 1.2: “Impact of place on sense of community” How can we build a stronger sense of identity within and by the local community? One idea is to use media and media platforms to build a stronger sense of community. This could be implemented initially through local newspapers which could conduct interviews with local people, share more positive news stories about people and the focus area, and in the long term could begin dismantle entrenched negative perceptions about the area. The current quality of placemaking is limiting in relation to promoting community gatherings in outdoor areas, e.g. in the park, at the library, as well the opportunities for areas where physical spaces and digital media or technology could mix or intersect. The spaces should be improved in a way that fosters meaningful social and cultural participation, enhancing positive sense of community. Group seating areas like picnic tables, VRCID presence in the park & safer playground equipment could attract more women and children. Spaces should also promote culturally valued activities like 5 a side pitch, amphitheatre area to cater for larger gatherings of people for cultural activities etc. The sense of community should also be fostered by exploring opportunities for representation of groups not limited to nationality only, e.g. how to form or support the formation of business or traders association for the focus area, with an interest in the regeneration of the area, and how this regeneration is implemented.
02 Culture and community
Implications for interconnectedness
Subcategory 3.1: “Disconnect between people and space� It was found that the different groups and communities in the Bellville CBD focus area seem to have adapted to their space to some extent, but may not feel the most connected to it, or have a limited sense of ownership of the broader built environment. The current urban landscape and design could be improved in a way that includes more people and offers more opportunities integrate the different cultures directly into their urban landscape and the built environment.
05 RECOMMENDATIONS
Research Questions
The following recommendations relate back to following research questions contained in the Terms of Reference by the GTP. They are :
• What activations/shifts in the public space are needed to better accommodate the needs of the various communities? • What is the social/cultural “product offering” that Bellville has to offer? • How can this translate into activations and activities that the GTP can roll out/implement? • How can the “product offering” be used to market the area and promote the area's unique/special cultural/social identity?
Recommendations Short term (0 - 6 months) 1. Renewal of the urban furniture and landscape
2. Create a task team for the pedestrianisation of Kruskal Avenue
3. Develop a simple “How to” guide to support activations
The Bellville CBD has an oldfashioned landscape design which includes unusual elements e.g. fake rocks within sand patch islands at various streets corners. These structures reduce the available walking space, after often poorly positioned and could be adapted to become attractive seating and green spaces.
In line with the City of Cape Town’s major efforts around the Transit Oriented Development strategy, which includes efforts to significantly improve the pedestrian spaces and general walkability of the precinct. It can be recommended that a task team be formed to transform Kruskal Avenue into a shared pedestrian space, in a similar fashion to the “Fan Walk” in the Cape Town CBD
Create and communicate a simple guide in multiple languages, that streamlines the process for groups, communities and individuals to host events and make use of the broader public realm This could contribute to increasing the levels of trust in the focus area.
4. Advocate for immediate improvements to Elizabeth Park the stakeholders
5. Support the organisation of streets events that relate directly to local culture
While developing more legible links with Durban and Voortrekker Road can only be achieved over the medium to long term, in the short term a number of options should be considered. These include installing free wifi, upgrading or replacing existing benches/ seating options and improved maintenance of the
Traditional somali events, as well as sport events require various parts of the streets and roads within the Bellville CBD. Assist with more frequent opportunities to support communities to actively participate in how the streets are used.
Recommendations Medium term (6 - 18 months) 1. Implement design competition to transform Kruskal Avenue
2. Develop non-motorised transport & walkability strategy
3. Create a “Friends of Elizabeth Park�
Working with local partners, and an experienced design competition operator/ manager, invite locally based, or local to Cape Town design firms to participate in a design competition to redesign, parts or all of Kruskal Avenue.
Develop a strategy to improve the pedestrian and non-motorised transport experience across the Bellville CBD through a mix of approaches which could include, removing parking, widening pavements, traffic calming measures and improving street level trading spaces (in cooperation with formal and informal traders).
Create a multi-disciplinary cooperative group (possibly expand Friends of Bellville Library) with which to give input on the operation of the park, future developments within the area and new initiatives for the park. This could include a collaboration with the public library or the Arts Association, codeveloping an identity of the space, collecting information and forming partnerships to e.g. host events (including sports), plan art installations, host exhibitions, invite local restaurants
4. Activate the edges of the Bellville Library
Remove the huge fences around the library and improve the quality of the walking connections from the surrounding roads. Consider including retail elements along the edge of the library or as an extension e.g. an Ethiopian coffee shop, with tables and chairs spilling over into the park and public
Recommendations Long term (18 months + ) 1. Secure funding to implement Kruskal avenue transformation
2. Set up a “neighborhood council� supporting the integration of
3. Design and create improved informal market structures
Secure funding from relevant government departments and agencies (potentially private sector too) to implement the successful design concept for the Kruskal avenue shared space.
This council should host meetings inviting people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities to discuss public life issues and concerns, to share ideas and expand the participation of migrants and locals. The various initiatives should support the long term social and economic integration of the community in the focus area. Case Study: http:// ec.europa.eu/
Consider creating individual market structures as well as a central market roof structure to provide a shelter for multiple traders. This would improve the overall harmony and experience of the space, and could contribute towards developing pride and identity in the Bellville CBD.
Areas for further research The following are further areas of research or study which are required in relation to the the initial research questions.
1. Demographic Study / Census / Enumeration
2. Product Offering
The lack of accurate, and appropriate demographic data in the focus area remains a challenge, and will impact various programmes and areas of work in the Bellville CBD. A basic survey, and more extensive census should be commissioned with urgency.
The product offering of the area and the subsequent potential to market and promote the product offering requires further study, and meaingful conclusions cannot be drawn within the scope of this study.
References
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Amin Ash, “Collective Culture and Urban Public Space” (paper produced for the project «Inclusive Cities: Challenges of Urban Diversity», initiative by Woodrow Wilson International the Center for Scholars, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and the CCCB, 2006) http:// www.publicspace.org/en/text-library/eng/b003collective-culture-and-urban-public-space Ingrid Brudvig, “Conviviality in Bellville: An Ethnography of Space, Place, Mobility and Being”, (University of Cape Town, School of African and Gender Studies, Anthropology and Linguistics, 2013) Key Findings Report: Socio-Economic and Built Environment Assessment, Bellville Station Precinct, Development Action Group (DAG) Report, June 2015. Walter Fieuw, “An Investigation of Development Processes in a Strategic Spatial Planning Intervention: Bellville Node on Voortrekker Road Corridor in Cape Town”, (University of Glasgow, School of Social and Political Science, Urban Studies, 2016) Vanya Gastrow and Roni Amit, “Somalinomics : A Case Study on the Economics of Somali Informal Trade in the Western Cape”, (University of the Witwatersrand, African Centre for Migration and Society, 2013) “Cape Town Christians please come back and shop in Somali district!”, Gateaway News, May 2013, http://gatewaynews.co.za/cape-townchristians-please-come-back-and-shop-insomali-district/ Myria Georgiou, “Cities of Difference: Cultural Juxtapositions and Urban Politics of Representation”, International Journal of Cultural and Media Politics (2006): 283-98 “Open Streets Bellville”, 2:54, posted by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership on Youtube in November 2015, Accessed: November 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W67y6H7uZI Hassan Isilow, “Cape Town’s ‘Little Mogadishu’”, Africa Witness, August 2011, https:// africawitness.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/capetown’s-‘‘little-mogadishu’’/
10. Courtney Knapp, “Making Multicultural Places”, Project for Public Spaces, January 2009, http:// www.pps.org/blog/multicultural_places/ 11. Anael Lewis, “Bellville Set to Be New Trading Nexus”, Business News, July 2015, http:// www.iol.co.za/business/news/bellville-set-to-benew-trading-nexus-1880823 12. Rossouw Nel and Andres de Wet,”10 Reasons why Bellville could Boom or Bust”, Future Cape Town, April 2013, http://futurecapetown.com/2013/04/10reasons-why-bellville-could-boom-or-bust/ #.WDK5deF95E4 13. “Bellville: Waar prostitute boomhuise bou”, 3:20, posted by Netwerk24 on Youtube in October 2014, Acessed: November 2016 https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=88G8T9PigsE 14. Zara Nicholson, “Bellville a ‘Safe Haven’ for Somalis”, IOL News, May 2011, http:// www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/ bellville-a-safe-haven-for-somalis-1067257 15. Gerrit van Rooyen, “Somali Town: the Other Side of Bellville”, The Crozier Street Files, November 2013, https://crozierfiles.wordpress.com/ 2013/11/19/somali-town-the-other-side-ofbellville/ 16. “Life in Bellville”, 3:58, posted by Somalicape Channel on Youtube in February 2012, Accessed: November 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=vAB-Bf17T_0 17. Gabriel Tati, « The immigration Issues in the PostApartheid South Africa: Discourses, Policies and Social Repercussions », Space Populations Societies (March 2008): 424-40, accessed November 2016. DOI: 10.4000/eps.3496 URL: http://eps.revues.org/3496 18. Bellville ATM Bombing, 5:57, posted theKLIQUE on Youtube in March 2015, Accessed: November 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1gtZKXK8E
APPENDICES
Appendix A : Key Informant Questions
Appendix B : Observations : Site Visit 1 WHO?
WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
HOW ARE THEY INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER?
HOW ARE THEY INTERACTING WITH THEIR SPACE?
Elizabeth Park & Library
Park: Mostly males & adults (no kids) / construction workers / groups of friends Library: students (young people), adults alone or in groups, kids and students/ teenagers. Very mixed in terms of race, ethnicity/ cultural group
Park: relaxing , meeting (meeting of 15 somali), some are sleeping in the grass. No playing/ sport activities. Library: people are reading, watching videos, talking, or teaching, working on their laptop. Mixed use in terms of leisure, work and socialising.
Park: Not much interaction other than a group of somalian men meeting. Library: Of all the spaces, the library is where we saw most leisure interaction. Some people in groups are, chatting, socializing. Calm atmosphere, they respect each other, they discuss, teach and help each other
Park: Individuals using benches or lying on the grass. Social/ interactive engagement seems to take place on the floor where people can more easily interact than on the dispersed, individual 2 seater benches. Library: Making use of all aspects of the space. Sitting around tables or individually at chairs. Making use of canteen area, computers, quiet corners etc. Pretty quiet and relax atmosphere. People seem respectful of their space.
Above Voortrekker (near Rhadia's)
Far less people walking in this area. Similar to CBD in general; but more people using cars. Mainly shoppers or those working in nearby offices. Mostly men, some women. Somalian, ethipian, black african and some cape malay individuals. Almost no white people.
Dining in restaurants (groups & alone), Shopping, Transporting and moving around/ through the area.
Very little social interaction. Acquaintances or passers-by greeting each other. Good sense of community. Some people eating together or on their own.
Very few pedestrians, people are using the space with their cars. Stopping by restaurants to pick up food, or moving through nearby shops. Transitory interaction with the space (partic this time of day).
Durban Road
Mostly Coloured and Black African people. Majority of males, very few women. No kids. Shop keepers, delivery men, transportation people and those going to or from station.
Everybody seems to be busy, doing shopping, managing/packing up their shop, moving through to station or from station
Mainly productive/ business interaction. Buying/ selling. Those talking in & around the shops & plaza seem to be business owners. But along the road, everyone seems to be alone and doing their own thing.
Very much transitory and purposeful. Packing into the space, moving through it or passing by,
Kruskal Avenue
Both men and women, no kids really. Mostly Black African people. Some young adults
People on their way to somewhere, vendors packing up their goods, people seating at coffee shop playing board games, people seating on benches, people passing by.
Some coffee shops, and malls. Convivial, people meet and spend a moment together; But it seems to be only with people from the same community
Inside the malls people take more their time, and they sit. They don't always socialise (because sometimes just on their phone)
Wilshammer & Lower Blanckenberg
In the market: more women, mostly Somalian, wearing headscarves. Some families and children. Some cape malay individuals
Buying/ Selling all kind of products. Passing through, chattings (a group of local men sitting on the floor chatting).
They all seemed to know one another as they work in the same place. Good sense of community. Area felt very social and interactive.
Seem to be enjoying the space. The atmosphere was more festive, there was music. More of a nice market where it's more convivial. More people stopping by, and talking with each others.
Cross Street
Quieter. Mostly passers by, business people passing through. Similar people as seen in the CBD.
People are just passing by.
Barely any interactions between people because it's just a street that connects two bigger roads. Atmosphere is more serious.
A street that felt a bit more dodgy, an in-between space, where there's are only backgate of buildings, and a construction site and some larger office buildings and mall entrance.
Appendix B : Observations : Site Visit 2 WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
WHO?
HOW ARE THEY INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER?
HOW ARE THEY INTERACTING WITH THEIR SPACE?
Elizabeth Park & Library
Mostly men, one child, booksellers (a couple), females passing through only, Approximately 30 people scattered around, laundry lady
Lady doing laundry. Men on the benches, drinking. Jehovah witnesses giving books. most sitting down, sleeping.
Interactions limited to people being together. Some passers by. Jehovah witnesses talk with people, they know some of the people using the park. Low level of interaction
Using the benches, using the benches, the shades along the fences. they are sleeping. Mostly males, no young people, some homeless, some drunk people.
Above Voortrekker (near Rhadia's)
Barely nobody, one female cycling. Very few foot traffic. More people than during the week, more women, more kids,
passing by
Barely no interactions, people just passing by
Durban Road
Lots of traders, shoppers, dominated by car traffic, good mix of genders
shopping, buying, selling, deliveries
The interactions were between sellers and customers. Or inside the shops people are talking, and some
Kruskal Avenue
Families, good gender mix (on a Saturday)
deliveries, families out Some Somali coffee for lunch shop, so it was quite convivial, and there were a lot of people, so the street seemed vibrant
sitting on the low walls, or blue benches. Informal traders on the pavements. People sitting on the pavements as well. At the top at Voortrekker : a stop for Minibus taxis. They put mannequins
Wilshammer & Lower Blanckenberg
informal shops, females trading, lots of families, lots of kids
people sitting along the walls, some use of the blue benches, car parking
sellers interacting with people passing buy
quite bustling. Noisy, music / prayers, lots of delivery trucks
Cross Street
Not that much people
just passing by, or sitting on the stairs of Absa building
People are talking when sitting together
People sitting on the stairs in front of Absa building. Not a very busy road
fast movements
NOTES RE: PLACEMAKING Elizabeth Park & Library
Above Voortrekker (near Rhadia's)
slope of the park nice in theory but problematic - especially with the entrance/exit gates, poorly maintained park, doesn't act as an integrated space, park surrounded by fences which are not very friendly, approach to the park quite intimidating because you need to walk down an unknown space before you get to the park entrance, narrow pathway, better access from the library, poor access from Voortrekker road poorly designed intersection, could be paved to change the surface, opportunity for placemaking, probably would work better as a circle, benches quite poor, nobody using them
Durban Road
pavement space too small, especially in front of the shops, need for a new way to accomodate the cars, no shelter no shadow
Kruskal Avenue
cars parked illegally
Wilshammer & Lower Blanckenberg
Uneffective use of bollards on certain places
Cross Street
other islands on other side of the road, which reduces the public space, unnecessary lanscaping, reasonable size of pavement, interesting dynamic when approaching the street