Development in South Africa: Bridging The Rural-Urban Gap

• Main Author: Lesego Masenya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Johannesburg 2021-09-01
• Series: The Thinker
• Subjects: south africa; inequality; rural-urban; covid-19; agriculture; technology
• Online Access: https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/The_Thinker/article/view/598

South Africa is a highly unequal society with high levels of inequality, poverty, unemployment and other injustices that continue to affect the majority of the population. Although great strides have been made in addressing these challenges, there continues to exist a significant gap between the urban areas (usually over-developed) and the rural areas (usually under-developed), making it harder to bridge these parallel worlds. Worth noting is the report from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) which suggests that Covid-19 has further widened the gap between urban areas and rural areas. These disparities have always existed, but the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light a lot of challenges that have been ongoing, especially in the case of South Africa. To mitigate the urban-rural divide, agriculture in rural areas should be considered as a viable solution, with the support of technological platforms. The results of investing in rural economies will have spill-over effects, positively impacting on urban areas, while creating employment in the peripheries of the country. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we look into other alternatives which will not only benefit the country, but also bridge the gap between rural and urban areas.