An Assessment of Urban Decay in Rural Towns

Urban collapse is a global dilemma that severely impacts urban areas both socially and economically due to negative impacts on neighbourhoods, and also impacts the environmental sustainability of neighbourhoods. Abandoned property contributes to a self-perpetuating vicious cycle where tenants and building owners do not restore property when fear and crime are present. Governments also fail to reduce fear and crime when neighbourhoods are overrun with abandoned property. The aim of this book was to assess the status of building dilapidation in Thohoyandou Central Business District (CBD). This study consist of three objectives, the first objective was to determine the buildings that have dilapidated in Thohoyandou CBD, the second objective was to investigate the causes of building dilapidation in Thohoyandou CBD and the last objective was to suggest recommendations towards addressing the causes of persisting building dilapidation. This study adopted a qualitative research approach through conducting 20 key informant interviews and field observations.