Ubuntu and Sustainable Cities in Africa

Ubuntu is an important part of African culture and philosophy. It can help to make African cities more sustainable. These cities are often characterized by poverty, marginality, inequality, exclusion, and the degradation of the environment. Based on the idea of shared humanity and group solidarity, Ubuntu assumes the conjugation of multiple efforts into a communication process. The notion of sustainability generally has three pillars. These are environmental, economic, and social. However, it is a western model. The fourth pillar of sustainability, namely, the cultural dimension, is highly debated among scientists. In my conceptual framework, I discuss the fifth pillar of sustainability. This is the spirituality dimension, to give a holistic perspective for individual or collective transformation. Ubuntu is about changing the way African cities are governed. Communityship is seen as more than just the top-down leadership style. It is about enabling people to come together and bring about change at the economic level. A paradigm shift is possible. Instead of just embracing capitalism, which is a major cause of environmental destruction, a new economic model must be created. This has to be an inclusive economy with social justice and participation. Ubuntu brings a deconstruction of the anthropocentric and ecological distinctions that have characterized discussions among scholars. Ubuntu believes in taking care of the self and others, as well as the environment. This is based on the belief that everyone is responsible for the connections they have with the physical world. This leads to responsible use of natural resources.