Building Pathways for Inclusive Cities
The Advancing African Cities Research Group is an African-led urban planning research group advancing inclusive, equitable and evidence-informed approaches to housing, land governance and socio-spatial justice in Southern African cities.
Reimagining African Cities for Safer, Thriving Communities
Across Africa, many people live in informal settlements and low-income neighbourhoods where access to safe housing, basic services, sanitation, secure land tenure and economic opportunity remains limited. These challenges are shaped by histories of exclusionary planning, uneven development, and urban policies that have not always centred the communities they affect.
At the same time, African cities are places of resilience, enterprise, adaptation and possibility. Informal settlements, township economies, small-scale rentals and low-income neighbourhoods are part of how people make homes, build livelihoods and shape urban life.
Led by Professor Abraham R. Matamanda, the Advancing African Cities Research Group is hosted within the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Free State. The Group leads interdisciplinary research across Southern Africa to strengthen the evidence base for inclusive urban planning, affordable housing, land governance and socio-spatial justice.
Our vision is an Africa where cities transform to create communities and homes where people are safe and thriving.
Our Approach
Our mission is to lead interdisciplinary research to advance equitable urban policy and planning practices, shaping housing access, stimulating economic development and promoting socio-spatial justice in Southern African cities.
To achieve this, we focus on three connected areas:
African-Centred Urban Research
Undertaking interdisciplinary research to advance understanding of inclusive urban planning practices, housing access, land governance and land justice in Southern African cities.
Capacity Development
Supporting postgraduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early-career scholars to advance high-quality, Africa-focused urban planning research.
Research Translation
Advancing inclusive urban planning practices through community and multi-sector stakeholder engagement and education.
Our Research
Our research focuses on how African cities can become safer, more inclusive and more just, with a focus on the people and communities most affected by urban planning decisions.
Settlement Dynamics
We study how informal settlements and low-income neighbourhoods are established, their evolution and morphogenesis, and how residents create homes, livelihoods and community networks within complex urban conditions.
Land and Housing Justice
We examine how urban land governance and tenure, small-scale rentals, backyard dwellings and affordable housing models shape access to secure, dignified and affordable homes in African cities.
Inclusive Urban Planning
We work with communities, policymakers and urban stakeholders to understand how planning can become more participatory, rights-based and responsive to African urban realities.
From Urban Crisis to Urban Possibility
LEADERSHIP & VISION
Prof Abraham Matamanda
Lead, Advancing African Cities Research Group
University of the Free State
The housing crisis in African cities is urgent. Many communities continue to experience insecure housing, limited services, vulnerability to flooding and fire, and isolation from economic opportunity. These challenges affect public health, safety, dignity and long-term prosperity.
Professor Abraham R. Matamanda’s work responds to this crisis by asking how African cities can plan differently. His research focuses on the realities of people living in informal settlements and low-income neighbourhoods, while also examining the policies, politics, land systems and economic forces that shape urban development.
Through the Advancing African Cities Research Group, Prof Matamanda is building a research programme that connects evidence, capacity development and policy engagement. The Group currently supports Honours, Master’s, PhD and postdoctoral researchers, contributing to a growing pipeline of African urban planning scholars focused on housing and land justice.
The proposed impact of this work is practical and far-reaching. The Group aims to strengthen the evidence base for urban planning and policy, improve understanding of inclusive planning practices that centre land justice, increase community awareness and policy engagement, and support more equitable access to land and affordable housing.
By working across research, capacity development, community engagement and policy dialogue, the Advancing African Cities Research Group is helping to shape African cities where more people can live in safe, thriving homes and communities.