City planners in Gauteng face several challenges, such as how to ensure that communities can have access to essential services, traffic problems, and energy.
Land use management plans must consider the rights discussed below. If the city planners in Gauteng, for instance, allocate a green space for public use in the city plan, then the rights of the community where the green space is allocated will be affected. The community members can no longer erect commercial buildings in those spaces or sell their goods there. The green space may be located in a previously industrial zoned area, meaning that activities for which the land was used in the past cannot be performed anymore. Public participation in decision-making is necessary, and a balance must be created between green spaces and the commercial needs of urban residents.
The city planners in Gauteng therefore have a daunting task when planning spaces. They must do so with consideration of the fundamental rights of the people living and working within the city boundaries.
Property Value
City planning affects the right to property. Any redevelopment of a city area will affect the property value and prices in the area. It can lead to higher or lower property values.
The property owner is thus directly affected by any development in the particular area. Although people have the right to property, the right is limited according to the land use management policies for the particular region. A person may own the property, but they can only use the land for the purposes for which it is zoned. A person cannot, for instance, perform manufacturing activities on a residential stand.
The city planners in Gauteng have the task of carefully planning the spaces. With the redevelopment of areas, it may also be necessary to change the zoning of those areas. Restrictions must be applied regarding the use of properties, to ensure that the activities performed at the particular properties don’t negatively affect the health of the community, the prices of adjacent properties, and more.
When considering the property rights of individuals, the city planners in Gauteng also need to consider public interest. Therefore, restrictions on land use may apply if such restrictions are in the best interest of the public. However, the rights of the property owner and the interest of the public must be balanced.
Housing Rights
The right to have a place to stay is important. Various issues must be addressed, such as how to solve the problem of informal settlements in Gauteng without adequate water, sewage, and drainage. The issue of where to place low-cost housing must be addressed. The disadvantaged and lower income communities need to be closer to their places of work. There must be adequate transportation systems to facilitate commuting to places of work. At the same time, the housing projects need to be close to amenities and shopping facilities, especially because the community members don’t have their own transport to get to essential services, such as healthcare.
Exceptionally challenging is the need to reduce urban sprawl, while also being able to provide space for adequate low-cost housing. The density of living spaces must be balanced with the health and wellbeing requirements of the communities.
Freedom Related to Private Enterprise
In a society with a high unemployment rate, as is the case in South Africa, free and private enterprise development is encouraged. It helps to create jobs and increase the economic power of the people involved in the enterprises, thus adding to the country’s economic health.
That said, the right to private enterprise must be exercised without infringing on the rights of others. If the enterprise affects the property value of a neighbour negatively or poses a risk of polluting a natural resource, then it becomes a problem. City planners in Gauteng must therefore make provisions for the right to private enterprise, but at the same time ensure that infrastructure is developed to facilitate such. They have to plan the city with consideration of where schools, places of worship, medical facilities, green belts, residential abodes, and industrial private enterprises can be based, without negatively affecting the environment and the surrounding communities.
Many other rights must be kept in mind when doing urban planning in Gauteng. It is thus important to make use of experienced city planners to help address the above rights and challenges through well-planned city layouts.