Spatial Justice in the Distribution of Smart City Digital Technologies: Three Area-Based Case Studies of Free Municipal Wi-Fi in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Mathane, Tlou Phillemon and Gumbo, Trynos and Makoni, Eric (2024) Spatial Justice in the Distribution of Smart City Digital Technologies: Three Area-Based Case Studies of Free Municipal Wi-Fi in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. KEEP ON PLANNING FOR THE REAL WORLD. Climate Change calls for Nature-based Solutions and Smart Technologies. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2024, 29th International Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 527-533. ISSN 2521-3938

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Abstract

In South Africa, urban planning legislation entrenches the principles of equity, good governance, and spatial justice. In countries such as China and India spatial inequalities in the allocation of digital technologies are high. Cities need to distribute digital technologies fairly and equitably so that opportunities are availed to citizens in ways that promote spatial justice. In a country such as South Africa, this is vital because apartheid has entrenched planning practices of favoring certain places at the exclusion of others. This paper provides an attempt to understand the extent to which the allocation of free Wi-Fi sites in the City of Tshwane is done in ways that promote the implementation of the principles of spatial justice, access, and equity. The paper focuses on three areas only: Pretoria Central Business District (CBD), Mamelodi Township, and Soshanguve Township. The paper used a mixed method research approach, combining a desktop literature review, empirically gathered views of some key stakeholders, as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map analysis of the free Wi-Fi sites in the three areas under analysis. The authors find that there is some degree of spatial justice in terms of allocating free Wi-Fi sites in the three areas. However, it is not clear if the City has a policy to inform the allocation of the free Wi-Fi infrastructure in communities. It is also not clear if the City has some scientific, objective tool/criterion for allocating free Wi-Fi sites in different regions/areas. In the absence of such a framework, key decisions about allocating free Wi-Fi infrastructure could be based on political considerations, and threaten the sustainability of the programme. Going forward, the City needs to develop an objective policy framework, which should encapsulate principles of spatial justice, transparency, fairness, and equity for allocating free Wi-Fi infrastructure.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Spatial justice, fourth industrial revolution, smart city, free municipal Wi-Fi, City of Tshwane
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA76 Computer software
Depositing User: REAL CORP Administrator
Date Deposited: 29 Apr 2024 09:08
Last Modified: 10 May 2024 09:13
URI: http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1118

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