ABSTRACT

There has been substantial civil society mobilization and organization around issues of housing in South Africa. Recently, there have been a few examples of transnational mobilization; however, South African civil society's participation in these networks has remained limited. What has gained clear traction in the South African context is the globally recognized concept of the ‘right to the city’ (RTC). The RTC concept is a radical idea which, at its core, demands the restructuring of power relationships and production of urban space at the scale of the city. In South Africa, the adoption of this concept is particularly strong among social movements, NGOs, and academics operating in the housing and urban governance debates.