Urban development is shaped by where infrastructure, people, and economic activity concentrate. These concentrations—both historical and current—do not spread evenly. Within the same national economy, we see stark differences between city-region economies and among urban clusters. To shape effective city-region policies, we need solid evidence on the dynamics of migration, housing, transport, investment, and other key economic activities. This research theme explores how the location of economic activity is changing—and what that means for human settlements and patterns of movement.

At its core, this work asks: How can we create more equitable and integrated spatial development? Answering that question requires a deep understanding of South Africa’s shifting economic geography, alongside the evolving ways people live together in communities.

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