Abstract

HOOGENRAAD-VERMAAK, Salomon. The contribution of the Urban Foundation to political reform. Historia [online]. 2011, vol.56, n.2, pp.133-153. ISSN 2309-8392.

The Urban Foundation/Stedelike Stigting was established in reaction to the 1976 unrest in South Africa and the dwindling economy. Its aim was to unite business in managing urbanisation so as to curb political unrest, improve the lives of urban blacks and to provide blacks with a role in the economy. Apart from a development agency role, the Foundation also played the role of a change agent. The development agency role of the Foundation was very successful. The change agent role was directed at changing business, but also politics. This resulted in the democratisation of business, as well as the amendment of limiting and discriminatory legislation. More importantly: the Foundation played a real and even crucial role in South Africa's process of political reform.

Keywords : Change agent role; community development; community involvement; Consultative Business Movement (CBM); development agent role; Independent Development Trust (IDT); political change; political reform; political role of business; social development; socio-economic responsibility; South African business community; Urban Foundation; urbanisation.

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