Let's do it ourselves! Urban elites and the negotiation of infrastructure challenges in Masvingo Zimbabwe
Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This research is situated within a broader urban sociology framework, and set against \nthe background of a precarious economic and political milieu in Zimbabwe, as a result \nof which urban infrastructure deteriorated immensely during the post-independence \nperiod, in particular the third decade. Drawing on a literature on decentralization and \nurban governance (Reddy, 1999; Smit and Pieterse, 2014), with a specific focus on \nAfrica (Ribot, 1999; Chigwata, 2010;Chigwenya, 2010), the study contends that the \nacclaimed decentralization and devolution of power by the central state in Zimbabwe \ncan be described as phony and counter-productive in as far as urban infrastructure \ndevelopment is concerned. Through a focus on fragmenting urban infrastructure in \ncontemporary Masvingo, Zimbabwe the study explores the challenges faced by the \nmunicipal council and the livelihood and survival strategies of local elites in combating \nservice delivery and infrastructure challenges. \nIn this research, I argue that infrastructure conditions in urban Masvingo have \ndeteriorated owing to rapid urbanization, decentralization devoid of devolution, political \ninstability, human negligence, and macro-economic challenges, which in my view \naffects the municipality s prioritization of expenditures. The municipal council view the \nrise of government parastatals such as ZINARA as the biggest challenge undermining \ntheir ability to acquire resources for infrastructure maintenance. Furthermore, it is \nargued that the continued fragmentation of infrastructure and service delivery became \nan eyesore as well as a threat to elites, who embraced a let s do it ourselves \napproach . As a result, urban elites in Masvingo constantly engage with key institutions, \nincluding the state and non-governmental organizations, to negotiate infrastructural \nchallenges with a view to improve livelihoods and well-being. In addition, urban elites \nhave been necessitated to implement a range of coping strategies at household level \n(such as use of borehole water, household generators, and access to countryside \nresources) to combat failing infrastructure. The study found that the coping strategies \nemployed by the elite urban ratepayers varies depending on whether they reside in a \nlow density or high density suburb. The research deployed data source triangulation techniques, utilizing semi-structured \ninterviews, document analysis and participant observation. A total of seventeen \ninterviews were conducted with key informants including councillors and top \nrepresentatives of the municipal council, a member of parliament, and selected elite \nurban ratepayers in Masvingo.
Author: John Mhandu
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: University of Pretoria
OpenAlex ID: W2521740009