Cities in the Global South have over time become synonymous with chaos, crime, pollution and evidence of mismanaged urbanization. Within the sub group of the large centers of the global south are cities located on the African continent. A majority of African cities continue to suffer from the power construct established by colonialism. They continue to grow disregarding the notion of equality in housing and provision of critical services.
Most urban environments in Africa were conceived, planned and built to reinforce the colonial structure. As highlighted by Fassil Demissie in his book, "Colonial Architecture and Urbanism in Africa: Intertwined and Contested Histories" suggests that the colonial city in African states were places meant to alienate and control its indigenous citizens. At the same time, they gave power to its colonial classes. Similarly, unequal distribution of resources among city dwellers has resulted in disparate development. Given this truth, it is necessary that post-colonial African cities be reexamined and redesigned to meet the needs of all its peoples, not just those that are wealthy. The problems faced by African cities today might seem large, but with commitment and rigorous efforts, solutions can be formulated an implemented.
An example of this inequality is in the housing system. Because African/Middle Eastern cities such as Cairo undergo high population growth, their inhabitants feel the repercussions of this population pressure. The population boom is attributable to the high volume of people migrating into the city from rural areas. Such migrants a seek access to the centralized resources in cities and urban centers. However, with there being unemployment, such migrants end up living in low-income, sub-standard housing. Settlements such as these have no infrastructure while places where the wealthy live are sustained with proper facilities.
The process towards amending, if not undoing, the damages that most African cities have experienced during the post-colonial times will no doubt depend on the implementation of urban planning initiatives that seek to create equal cities, rather than replicate the power imbalance established in the colonial city.
