Are we building Gqeberha with the future in mind?

Anyone arriving in Gqeberha for the first time will be struck by its beautiful beaches, affordable restaurants, shabby central business district, potholed roads and abundant crime. Like all cities of the world, it faces its challenges while celebrating any unique qualities it happens to have – whether they are there by chance or design. 

For those of us living here, whatever challenges we face in our city become our way of life and the means through which we navigate our spaces. They can determine our opportunities, how we network and where our money goes.

As one young Instagrammer reminds us, you are always either in a place, or going to a place. Our social media groups are flooded with questions about where we may find efficiency of service, friendliness, ease of access and, most importantly, affordability. Because we live in South Africa, we also seek out safety – which is becoming harder to find. 

This is a city burdened with crime – in the streets, in homes, but also on pathways, on hiking trails, in parking lots. Crime has taken its charm, emptied its central districts and pushed development to the edges.

This development sprawl seems rational. There is enough space and seemingly enough money to keep building the housing estates and malls that speak to the needs of the lower-to-middle class. But it also makes it feel like the city is constantly separating itself into little nodes of safety and neutrality. It has let modernity, cement and crime govern it. 

Is this really the city we see for ourselves? And in the rapidly changing world, are we building with the future in mind?

What I have noticed as someone interested in sustainable urban practices and green spaces, is how little attention seems to be paid to the preservation of communal and creative ways of life within Gqeberha. 

I also wonder if any consideration has been given to the weather – and the droughts and floods that are guaranteed on the back of the rapidly changing climate.

Disparate shopping spaces, often highly paved over, and big malls, are favoured over street trading, or creative districts. Housing estates are springing up in all directions, bulldozing over massive open spaces and everything in them – dispersing every living creature in their path.

What emerges is boring, highly concentrated housing estates that are highly policed by the people within them. The estates rarely feature communal living spaces or open spaces for soccer or swings. 

Gqeberha is developing the way that cities used to over the past few decades – but if you look at what makes other cities great, it is not the mall but the town square that still generates community. And Jane Jacobs, who critiqued the modern city, was clear that building for community was essential for ensuring economic sustainability. 

Gqeberha still has an opportunity to build itself around its greatest asset, the friendly neighbour. It still has an opportunity to promote access and integration, which in itself can bring entrepreneurship and opportunity – both sorely needed in a province with such high youth unemployment. 

There are still places in Gqeberha that hold connective tissue. The skatepark where young and old still try out their kick-flips. The beachfront, although crumbling and harbouring criminals, is still a place for running, walking and daily dog walks. Sardinia Bay on the eve of a full moon tends to bring couples and friends to its errant dune.

The soccer fields of Walmer township are abuzz during games, while women sell their second-hand wares on the side of the road. Little pockets, little moments, when you feel like you actually live among others. 

What should be done then, to expand these bubbles of connection and bring life back to our town? 

I want to suggest some alternative ways of developing into the future, based on my own experience with living in different cities. I want to focus on what can change for three types of people: the pedestrian, the entrepreneur and the young person.

For pedestrians 

• Start with protected walkways and bike lanes. Let us start connecting the streets and getting bikes off the roads and into their own lanes. Let these be wide and easy to navigate. 

• Plant trees. In George, following severe winds that blew over many trees in the area, the municipality sent out a list of suggested indigenous trees that could be planted in their place. As South Africa approaches hotter summers, these will be essential for everyone, reducing the heat islands that cities tend to become. Fruit trees would be an option to improve urban food access. 

• Provide places to sit, rest and enjoy the surroundings. Provide spaces for people to play chess, and meet by accident. Acquaintanceships are built and maintained through proximity and casual interactions – ask any dog walker who becomes a permanent fixture of their local park.

• Protect mixed-use buildings. These provide accommodation for people close to areas of commerce and reduce the cost of transport. 

For entrepreneurs and freelancers

• Build for microbusinesses and permanent market places. Not everyone can afford the commercial rental in town, and clumping small businesses together is important for ease of access and encouraging “foot traffic”, which is an important source of sales. Places like Mojo Market in Cape Town, and 27 Boxes in Johannesburg, where flower sellers mix with second hand book shops, can become an inspiration. The Sherwood Garden Centre offers something similar here.

• Provide shelter, permanent tables and market spaces for township second-hand sellers – with no price attached.

• Provide co-working spaces, with sliding scale rentals based on income, that can put more freelancers in one room, able to network and grow together. 

For young people

• Our youth are increasingly lonely and disconnected. Protect Third Spaces. These are spaces where people gather that are not home or work. They are libraries, pubs, parks and market places. They are also running groups, bookclubs and crafting groups. I love the Silent Book Club and the various running clubs connected to coffee shops like Plato. In terms of third spaces, bring back town squares, fund more libraries and provide WiFi hotspots. Bring back public swimming pools. 

• The new generation is drinking less. Our drinking holes will no longer be sustained by the new generations, but if these businesses think beyond alcohol to be places of gathering, perhaps they will survive. In fact, in some parts of the world, alcohol-free bars are becoming popular.

• Build communal areas into housing estates and suburbs. Allow children to be children. Give them the infrastructure and rules to play. 

• Allow for art and creativity. Encourage street art and bring colour back into our worlds.

We are all aware that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality does not have the best track record for service delivery, but much of what is mentioned as solutions do not strictly rely on municipal performance. Some things might be hampered by zoning rules, but a great deal is controlled by businesses and local people.   

As to the role of the Municipality… In Cape Town, the City recently set up the Cape Town Assembly, where you can apply to be one of 100 people randomly chosen to become part of conversations in the City around climate, environment and development. 

Perhaps our municipality can do something similar and hear the views of residents. I bet you there are many people with many good ideas, some are already in play. I want to mention some of my favourite initiatives for connection and community, and encourage those living here to do more of this!

The Mandela Bay Development Agency and its Kulture Korner talks and other activities at the gorgeous St Peter’s Church and village in South End. EarthBound is designing community gardens. The Isithatha Theatre contributes to youth development and keeps local arts alive.

I hope more can be done with the space. The group from Centre SRA is doing beautiful things for central’s revival and culture. Lastly, the recent work to reclaim Happy Valley is exactly the kind of effort we need to see more of. DM