Adaptive governance of urban informality in the face of climate change: street vendor practices in Johannesburg, South Africa
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Dr Mamokete Modiba
,
Dr Samkelisiwe Khanyile
- Sep 2026
When climate shocks disrupt livelihoods, street vendors do not simply wait for the state to respond; instead, they organise, adapt and govern themselves. In Johannesburg, street vendors are turning collective action, social networks and digital tools into everyday strategies for surviving an increasingly volatile urban climate.
Read MoreAnimated intersectionality: Deepening perspectives on elite research
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SJ Cooper-Knock,
Christina Culwick Fatti,
Dr Samkelisiwe Khanyile,
Temba Temba Middelmann,
Brian Murahwa,
Margot Margot Rubin
- Sep 2026
During studies on the wealthy and powerful, access often depends less on credentials and more on how researchers are perceived upon arrival. Drawing on research with South African elites, this paper shows how researchers’ intersecting identities can influence access, interactions and the often-overlooked emotional challenges of the work
Read MoreLeveraging public employment programmes for an inclusive just transition: Connecting youth to the green economy through city-led partnerships in South Africa
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Dr Mamokete Modiba,
Olga Koma,
Charles Parkerson
- Aug 2026
Can public employment programmes become more than temporary jobs and attract the youth? In South Africa’s cities, the green economy offers an opportunity to turn the EPWP into a pathway towards meaningful work, skills development and a more inclusive just transition, particularly for the youth. The paper argues that this potential will remain limited unless cities move beyond short-term employment and build stronger pathways into the green economy.
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