"Africa is a rapidly urbanising continent. Since 1990, the proportion of people who live in towns and cities has risen from 28% to 44%, according to the World Bank. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts the continent's urban population will double to 1.4 billion by 2050. In many cases, public transport has failed to keep up with this growth, with hours-long traffic jams a common feature of many metropolises."
"Urban areas were segregated and hence fragmented and so formal transport provision was largely intended for the formal city or the white area'. Poor planning since then has meant that people moving to cities have largely not been catered for, Sihlongonyane said, adding: It's very hard to travel around our cities in South Africa and even in Africa the post-apartheid government, post-independence governments, have failed to develop public transport."
"Hamsini hamsini Ambassadeur, a conductor shouts, giving the price of 50 Kenyan shillings, about 30p, for the ride to a landmark hotel in the city centre. As passengers are drawn to his vehicle, he bangs its side as they enter. These privately owned vehicles, known as matatus, are the most popular form of transport in the Kenyan capital, a city of almost 5 million people spre"
Urbanisation across Africa has accelerated, with urban population rising from 28% in 1990 to 44% and projected to double to 1.4 billion by 2050. Public transport infrastructure has not kept pace, producing hours-long traffic jams in many large cities. Colonial-era planning produced segregated, fragmented urban forms that directed formal transport to privileged areas, leaving new urban migrants underserved. Post-independence and post-apartheid governments have often failed to develop comprehensive public transit. Some cities have light rail or formal bus networks, but many commuters depend on private minibuses and taxi networks, such as Nairobi's matatus, which dominate daily commuting.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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