INNER CITY OF PRETORIA:

BURGERS PARK

The inner city of Pretoria offers various geographical spaces, conducive for learning and holding the potential for innovative change.
Through the Tshwane Leadership Foundation, having been present in inner city neighbourhoods for more than 25 years now, possibilities are opened up with a wide range of current and potential partners.
The Berea-Burgers Park neighbourhood – where the Tshwane Leadership Foundation is based – is an established inner city neighbourhood comprised of high-rise apartment buildings, a number of hotels, a central park, the City Hall, and 3 national museums. It is an area lending itself to healthy urban regeneration that can simultaneously model radical inclusivity.
In some ways, this neighbourhood already models such inclusion which needs to be better documented.
At the same time, a participatory process to build the capacity for inner city management and to develop a precinct plan for this neighbourhood, was successfully completed in 2006 (De Beer 2017:454-455).
However, the City of Tshwane failed to adopt and implement this plan. It is perhaps time to revisit, and, if possible, resuscitate this process.

Description - Burgers Park

Creation of social and housing infrastructure, contributing to a socially inclusive inner city neighbourhood
Presence of a community park, churches, hotels and museums
Hosting the annual Feast of the Clowns, a community-based festival creating awareness for social justice

Question

How can an old inner city neighbourhood be managed in way that fosters high levels of socio-economic inclusion, vibrancy and livability?

Research Actions