A working streetlight: the new symbol of a 'caring' government in South Africa

In Cape Town, South Africa, there is a growing recognition that the city's reputation as the "model city" of good governance is not equally experienced by all residents. While the wealthy and well-connected can easily navigate the city's services and infrastructure, those with fewer resources face significant challenges. This disparity is rooted in Cape Town's long history of apartheid, which created a spatially unequal city.

The Constitutional Court recently ruled that the government has a constitutional obligation to address spatial inequality, meaning that the location of housing and public services is critical to realizing the right to adequate housing and addressing historical injustices. A broken streetlight, for instance, is not just a maintenance issue but a symbol of the unequal distribution of risk in the city.

Those with private security, cars, and access to well-maintained infrastructure can avoid dangerous areas, while others are forced to navigate public spaces plagued by violence. The issue extends beyond gender-based violence; it impacts women's safety and mobility in how they interact with the city. Addressing these structural problems requires a holistic approach that goes beyond simply building more housing or fixing infrastructure.

It demands a transformation of the city's entire system of redistribution, integrating economic, transport, social, and redistribution policies to create a more equitable living environment for all Cape Town residents.