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Aspects of environmental quality of life that affect neighbourhood satisfaction in disadvantaged and advantaged Johannesburg communities

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  • Margaret Westaway

Abstract

To ascertain which aspects of environmental quality of life affect neighbourhood satisfaction, a study was conducted with 303 tenure allocated residents of an informal settlement in Soweto, 160 residents of a squatter camp in the same informal settlement, and 375 black and 358 white residents of a middle-class Johannesburg suburb. Respondents rated their satisfaction with housing, public schools, public clinics, public transport, roads, personal safety, street lighting, household refuse removal, jobs, local government and the neighbourhood. Black suburbanites tended to be more satisfied than the other three groups with most of these aspects. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that housing and personal safety accounted for 45 per cent (informal settlement), 21 per cent (squatter camp), 33 per cent (black suburbanites), and 28 per cent (white suburbanites) of the variance in neighbourhood satisfaction. The findings substantiated the importance of housing and personal safety in both disadvantaged and advantaged communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret Westaway, 2009. "Aspects of environmental quality of life that affect neighbourhood satisfaction in disadvantaged and advantaged Johannesburg communities," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(3), pages 447-458.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:deveza:v:26:y:2009:i:3:p:447-458
    DOI: 10.1080/03768350903086820
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Meimei Wang & Yongchun Yang & Bo Zhang & Mengqin Liu & Qing Liu, 2019. "How Does Targeted Poverty Alleviation Policy Influence Residents’ Perceptions of Rural Living Conditions? A Study of 16 Villages in Gansu Province, Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Eziyi O. Ibem & Pearl A. Opoko & Egidario B. Aduwo, 2017. "Satisfaction with Neighbourhood Environments in Public Housing: Evidence from Ogun State, Nigeria," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 733-757, January.
    4. Wendy Wadzanayi Tsoriyo & Pedzisai Ndagurwa, 2024. "Looking beyond household income status: exploring the interplay of income and other drivers of neighbourhood satisfaction in the Gauteng Province of South Africa," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.

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