Historical perspective of migration and urbanisation in Whittlesea, Ciskei

Abstract

This article sets out to explore the role of historical events and politics in the migration and urbanisation of the Whittlesea subregion. The evolution of the independent national state of Ciskei from a Native reserve, bantustan and homeland is analysed. The development potential of the subregion is directly related to the subregion's peripheral location in the national spatial economy and to the regional and urban development of South Africa. The migration and urbanisation process is analysed from the first settlement by the Moravian Mission at Shiloh in 1828 to the present,Whittlesea offers focused settlement opportunities as the first base in a stepwise migration process to the metropolitan core areas. Whittlesea is spatially fragmented owing to different settlement actions, while the isolated areas are functioning independently. Migration from the subregion could be facilitated to influence an equilibrating urbanisation process at the regional and national levels.

Notes

Based on a PhD thesis, Vista University, by the author.

Associate Professor of Economics, Vista University, Soweto Campus. The author acknowledges financial assistance from the HSRC. Opinions expressed in this article, conclusions arrived at, and any inadvertent errors are, however, solely his own.