Mphambukeli, Thulisile and Cele, Nomfundo and Moyo, Thembani (2026) If Planning is Complex and Political, maybe Planning is the Solution: Improving Infrastructure Quality in Global South Cities. EVERYBODY PLANS ... SOMETIMES. Cherish Heritage, Plan Now, Create a Better Future! Proceedings of REAL CORP 2026, 31st International Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 499-504. ISSN 2521-3938
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Abstract
The Global South is undergoing unparalleled urbanisation rates, alongside profound consequences for infrastructure demand and supply. This paper examines the relationship between the political economy and infrastructure planning in the global south cities. A particularly disturbing trend in Global South development is the explosion of large-scale, internationally-financed infrastructure developments that serve exclusive interests while abandoning the everyday necessities of majority populations. Drawing on literature from diverse geographic contexts, we explore the political economy of urban planning in understanding complexity as essential. The paper identifies key mechanisms linking the intersection of climate vulnerability with factors such as sociopolitical issues, poor governance, and limited technological capability, further declining infrastructure resilience. Infrastructure discrepancies in informal settlements echo deliberate poor policy choices and planning failures, isolating these areas. Additionally, we examine evidence on KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, a particularly valuable empirical context for understanding planning’s role in infrastructure improvement, disaster response, and resilience. Evidence shows that climate-induced disasters associated with risk and vulnerability are aggravated by socioeconomic issues, including housing deficiencies, compelling people to construct settlements in flood-prone zones. Finally, we propose several key pathways that emerge from this analysis for advancing more effective, equitable planning in Global South cities. The paper concludes that addressing institutionalized participatory planning as standard practice, integrating planning across sectors and governance levels, adopting explicit equity frameworks in planning, investing in municipal capacity building, decolonizing planning knowledge and practice and address the political economy of infrastructure would shape local institutional capability and encourage adaptive learning as opposed to continued dependence on external finance expertise.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Global south, cities, urban planning, infrastructure, political economy |
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform |
| Depositing User: | REAL CORP Administrator |
| Date Deposited: | 05 Apr 2026 15:44 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Apr 2026 15:44 |
| URI: | http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1306 |
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