The contentious politics of integrated urban development in District Six

An examination of the antagonistic relations between key stakeholders in the land restitution process in District Six reveals that development logjams can to a significant extent be attributed to the conflict between local authorities and the community. After an unsuccessful initial legal bid to preclude an individual claims process in favour of an integrated, state‐controlled development project, a Trust was established to formally represent claimants. A model of stakeholder collaboration was instituted under the auspices of the City's Integrated Development Plan, based on the centrality of planning and management expertise, and with a restricted role for public consultation and participation. Relations between the Trust and the City broke down in late 2006 following a protracted disagreement over development priorities and about where the locus of control for the project should reside. This signalled a need for a new approach to ‘integrated development’.