Introduction

This chapter introduces the book. The focus is on providing a nuanced understanding of secondary cities and their role in urban development and urban agenda. It is pointed out that secondary cities are contested, starting with the ambiguities in defining what they are and their place within the urban hierarchies in different countries. These categorisation and conception are especially important as they form the bedrock upon which government policies are formulated and implemented regarding the governance and management of the secondary cities. We thus examine the meanings of secondary cities by identifying the typologies of these secondary cities in a southern African context. Secondary cities are inherently complex and have comparative advantages that may spur sustained urbanisation. Hence, we explore these opportunities and most importantly situate the exploration within the bounds of local governance and question why governments continue to marginalise these secondary cities when they have so much potential of alleviating urban challenges. The chapter proceeds to present the aim and objectives of the book and lastly outlines the scope of the book.