Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa
Land is a fundamental resource that provides a foundation for the economy. Despite a wide range of studies on land governance systems, there is a lack of literature that analyzes the ability of communities to manage a change to different land governance systems. The study aimed to analyze the potent...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1132 |
| _version_ | 1797593948454125568 |
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| author | Nicholas Pinfold Masilonyane Mokhele |
| author_facet | Nicholas Pinfold Masilonyane Mokhele |
| author_sort | Nicholas Pinfold |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Land is a fundamental resource that provides a foundation for the economy. Despite a wide range of studies on land governance systems, there is a lack of literature that analyzes the ability of communities to manage a change to different land governance systems. The study aimed to analyze the potential for the Goedverwacht communal settlement in the Western Cape province, South Africa, to transition from a hierarchical governance structure to one based on a communal land governance system. This aim was addressed by answering the research question: What are the roles, expectations and management strategies of the institutions and stakeholders participating in land governance? The study considered the community’s desire to maintain its communal settlement’s existence, and the choice between communal or individual freehold land governance. To understand these issues, the study utilized a framework that includes three theories: the theory of planned behaviour, the theory of institutional capacity, and the critical theory. (2) Methods: Through a survey, qualitative interviews, and focus group discussions, the study analyzed various underlying factors that influenced land governance and the land governance system desired by the community. (3) Results: The findings reveal that power dynamics and conflicting interests significantly affected the community’s ability to manage potential modernization resulting from land reform. While establishing land rights can positively impact economic growth and social mobilization, the lack of the communal settlement’s central government’s capacity to manage modernization effectively can lead to instability. (4) Conclusions: The paper concludes that balancing institutionalization and modernization is crucial for effectively managing the transition to new land governance systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:15:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf3c1cf94cdd4aefa78f16aa282aa59a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:15:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf3c1cf94cdd4aefa78f16aa282aa59a2023-11-18T11:13:13ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-05-01126113210.3390/land12061132Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South AfricaNicholas Pinfold0Masilonyane Mokhele1Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Informatics and Design, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town 8000, South AfricaDepartment of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Informatics and Design, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town 8000, South AfricaLand is a fundamental resource that provides a foundation for the economy. Despite a wide range of studies on land governance systems, there is a lack of literature that analyzes the ability of communities to manage a change to different land governance systems. The study aimed to analyze the potential for the Goedverwacht communal settlement in the Western Cape province, South Africa, to transition from a hierarchical governance structure to one based on a communal land governance system. This aim was addressed by answering the research question: What are the roles, expectations and management strategies of the institutions and stakeholders participating in land governance? The study considered the community’s desire to maintain its communal settlement’s existence, and the choice between communal or individual freehold land governance. To understand these issues, the study utilized a framework that includes three theories: the theory of planned behaviour, the theory of institutional capacity, and the critical theory. (2) Methods: Through a survey, qualitative interviews, and focus group discussions, the study analyzed various underlying factors that influenced land governance and the land governance system desired by the community. (3) Results: The findings reveal that power dynamics and conflicting interests significantly affected the community’s ability to manage potential modernization resulting from land reform. While establishing land rights can positively impact economic growth and social mobilization, the lack of the communal settlement’s central government’s capacity to manage modernization effectively can lead to instability. (4) Conclusions: The paper concludes that balancing institutionalization and modernization is crucial for effectively managing the transition to new land governance systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1132communal settlementland governanceland reformcommunity ownershipsustainable development |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas Pinfold Masilonyane Mokhele Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa Land communal settlement land governance land reform community ownership sustainable development |
| title | Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa |
| title_full | Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa |
| title_short | Facilitating Community Transition to Sustainable Land Governance: A Study of a Communal Settlement in South Africa |
| title_sort | facilitating community transition to sustainable land governance a study of a communal settlement in south africa |
| topic | communal settlement land governance land reform community ownership sustainable development |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1132 |
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