Deciphering spaces of and for participation: The subversion of community participation and rights in the urban land restitution process of District Six

The Land Restitution Act 22 of 1994 affords historically dispossessed person to return areas from which they were forcibly removed. With a focus on urban restitution this dissertation looks at why the restitution of land in District Six has been slow and fraught with frustrations and delays. This dissertation assess the participatory planning processes in the restitution and redevelopment of land in order to gain nuanced and deeper understanding of why, the state's ideal of restorative justice has not been realised. Through a qualitative research approach, the study focuses on the case of District Six, studying the spaces of participation from 1994 -2013. Findings reveal that many want a stake in District Six, none more so than the community themselves. The findings reveal how state-led spaces of participation remain tokenistic in nature and on the other hand community led spaces of participation offers historically marginalised groups an opportunity to realise their rights. Recommendations are aimed at how planners can intervene to improve these spaces and contribute to making more inclusionary spaces

Platform Politics and Silicon Savannahs: Fintech and the platformed motorcycle: speculating on ordinary mobility economies in urban Africa

Despite the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, venture capital (VC) investments in African startups have remained resilient, surpassing $5 billion in 2021 and experiencing a staggering 264% growth compared to the previous year. Notably, more than 60% of these investments were directed towards fintech companies. The surge in fintech investments in Africa is driven by several factors that make the continent an attractive market. Africa still has a large unbanked population, presenting an opportunity for financial services that offer alternatives to traditional banking methods. The rise of mobile money and cryptocurrencies has brought accessible financial solutions to individuals and informal businesses without access to traditional banking systems. Furthermore, Africa has emerged as a significant market for cryptocurrency trading, providing alternative options in volatile monetary climates and facilitating cross-border transactions. The report draws on empirical research in three case-study cities – Cape Town (South Africa), Kigali (Rwanda), and Nairobi (Kenya) – to showcase some important trends at the interface of fintech and the platformisation of motorcycle economies in urban Africa. It builds on the insight that fintech is not ‘just’ facilitated by digital platforms, but it deploys the same business logics of intermediation and, in doing so, is often part of platformisation itself (Langley and Leyshon, 2021). More specifically, the report shows the importance of the financial-inclusion thrust in linking fintech to two-wheel paratransit, as well as the multiple ways in which digital platforms create new financial pathways in rapport to the physical commodity of the motorcycle; the crucial importance of payment gateways as infrastructures of additional data-driven financial innovation; the promises of risk-management through data and the pilot-based experimental practices through which these promises are given effect; and linkages to the decarbonisation of mobility systems in African cities. For each of these points, the report highlights key policy implications that will require careful attention by researchers, regulators, and private actors in the field

Physical activity attenuates but does not eliminate coronary heart disease risk amongst adults with risk factors: EPIC-CVD case-cohort study

This study aimed to evaluate the association between physical activity and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in individuals with and without CHD risk factors. EPIC-CVD is a case-cohort study of 29 333 participants that included 13 582 incident CHD cases and a randomly selected sub-cohort nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Self-reported physical activity was summarized using the Cambridge physical activity index (inactive, moderately inactive, moderately active, and active). Participants were categorized into sub-groups based on the presence or the absence of the following risk factors: obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 ), hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol ≥6.2 mmol/L), history of diabetes, hypertension (self-reported or ≥140/90 mmHg), and current smoking. Prentice-weighted Cox regression was used to assess the association between physical activity and incident CHD events (non-fatal and fatal). Compared to inactive participants without the respective CHD risk factor (referent), excess CHD risk was highest in physically inactive and lowest in moderately active participants with CHD risk factors. Corresponding excess CHD risk estimates amongst those with obesity were 47% [95% confidence interval (CI) 32–64%] and 21% (95%CI 2–44%), with hypercholesterolaemia were 80% (95%CI 55–108%) and 48% (95%CI 22–81%), with hypertension were 80% (95%CI 65– 96%) and 49% (95%CI 28–74%), with diabetes were 142% (95%CI 63–260%), and 100% (95%CI 32–204%), and amongst smokers were 152% (95%CI 122–186%) and 109% (95%CI 74–150%). In people with CHD risk factors, moderate physical activity, equivalent to 40 mins of walking per day, attenuates but does not completely offset CHD ris