Paper short abstract:

Rapid urbanisation in African cities has put pressure on peri-urban areas for development. These areas are predominantly governed by traditional authorities, resulting in the coexistence and conflict of modern and traditional land systems. This is a phenomenon that needs to be further explored.

Paper long abstract:

Due to the rapid rate of urbanisation in African cities, there is a demand for land in the urban peripheries for development purposes. These peri-urban areas are predominantly governed by traditional authorities according to customary land management systems. However, the implementation of the 99-year leasehold in peri-urban areas has resulted in the coexistence and conflict of modern and traditional land practices. Although research on peri-urban land has increased due to urbanisation, there is still a need to delve deeper into the 99-year leasehold tenure and its implications on peri-urban areas of African cities.

Through a qualitative study involving a critical realism, field interviews and critical analysis, this research explores the institutional, developmental, gender and spatial implications of the 99-year leasehold on peri-urban areas, using Mbabane Eswatini as a case study. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the 99-year leasehold system has been instrumental to the development of peri-urban areas amid traditional settings.

From the findings I will share how both modern and traditional institutions have played a role in the enactment and maintenance of the 99-year leasehold. In relation to gender and space I will share on issues of land accessibility, tenure security and how space is interpreted under the 99-year leasehold tenure. In my proposed presentation, I will also discuss how the 99-year leasehold tenure can affect urban, peri-urban and rural areas in the future.