Land-Use Management in Rural Areas

Abstract

When considering land-use management planning in rural areas and urban transitional areas, the specifi c disposition of communities in these areas (which in certain aspects differs greatly from those of urban areas) has to get due consideration. The discussion of the rural community environment in this chapter contemplates the traditional African community, with particular reference to its expression in South African society. To emphasise the necessity of a differential approach to planning in rural areas as opposed to urban areas, consider that 72% of the total population that is regarded as poor in South Africa lives in rural areas. Compared to their urban counterparts, rural people also have vastly inferior access to basic social services and the economic mainstream. However, planning for sustainable living in rural areas and urban transitional zones should greatly assist communities in these areas to face the stated challenges. One of the particular notions of sustainable living is that of the resilience of community traditions and cultural precepts, which can assist communities to face the pressures of urban growth, the deteriorating quality of life and the homogenisation of settlement form and design in the developing world. The subsequent discussion will highlight the importance of cohesive communities in general and traditional African communities in particular, which is relevant to the planning of sustainable living.