Paper short abstract:

This paper analyzes the joint impact of neoliberalization and post-apartheid revolutionary discourses on township spaces at the new Gugulethu mall in Cape Town.

Paper long abstract:

Since the end of apartheid, South African urban spaces have undergone considerable changes. The negotiated revolution of 1994 opened the country to the market forces of neoliberal globalization. While this has not contributed to the overall wealth being distributed more equally, the post-apartheid era has witnessed the rise of the black middle classes. Changes associated with increased wealth have been noted in the spaces of the townships like Gugulethu in Cape Town.

This paper analyzes the effect of neoliberalization on post-apartheid spatial practices at the new Gugulethu mall in Cape Town. It examines this impact at two levels: first, from the perspective of neoliberal processes and their ability to adapt to the local township environment and second, from the viewpoint of the township and its permeability to these ideas and practices, specifically emphasizing the role of local brokers.

It studies how revolutionary discourses, imagery, spatial design, and social engineering were employed to promote the business, and how these attempts were received at the everyday level in the township. It argues that contemporary, ordinary townships such as Gugulethu tell a localized story of neoliberalization processes through which global capital is rooted within South African townships.

The fieldwork and interviews for this paper were carried out in 2009, 2010 and 2011 in Gugulethu, Cape Town with Myriam Houssay-Holzschuch.