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Foreign Capital Flows and Economic Development in Africa pp 29–49Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Impact of China and South Africa in Urban Africa

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Abstract

This chapter examines how BRICS-led geo-governance is influencing urban forms and functions in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on recent field research on production and consumption activities/regimes in Zambia and Tanzania, we demonstrate the ways in which two BRICS countries (China, South Africa) transform the character and function of Africa’s urban industries and consumer markets. The scale and scope of these transformations are manifested in a new phase of urbanization, one characterized by a dual-fold dynamic of extraversion and intraversion as the business-as-usual exploitation of commodity exports by BRICS-led investment is coupled with a flood of imports of BRICS-produced luxury and wage goods. The result is African cities are unable to create urbanization or localization economies that might spur distributive forms of growth and economic development.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Pádraig Carmody

  2. Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA

    James T. Murphy

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  1. Pádraig Carmody
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  2. James T. Murphy
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pennsylvania State University, DuBois, PA, USA

    Evelyn Wamboye

  2. Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

    Esubalew Alehegn Tiruneh

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Carmody, P., Murphy, J.T. (2017). The Impact of China and South Africa in Urban Africa. In: Wamboye, E., Tiruneh, E. (eds) Foreign Capital Flows and Economic Development in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53496-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53496-5_2

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53495-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53496-5

  • eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

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