8. The apartheid government built flats for ‘second class citizens.’ Why should we settle for medium density housing and not demand nice free-standing houses?

At DAG, we are suggesting that when people move to the city, they should begin to buy-into the notion of urban life. Cities rely on high concentrations of people for economic, scientific and human innovation. Even small grocers and spaza shops cannot be sustained in low-density areas, not to mention schools and social services. This is not to say that everyone must live in medium-density, concentrated housing. Rather, it is about giving households a choice: live in a higher-density typology and enjoy the benefits of the city, or live in a low-density typology on the outskirts.