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This book is the outcome of more than a decade of research and it would be impossible to thank all those whose support has buoyed it.

To my interviewees in South Africa and those who gave me so many hours of their time, I hope this work provides support to continue improving urban life. This book captures and shares the story of BRT in South Africa, and provides a vital record of post-apartheid transformation. Many of the key figures named in this book have since left government, retired or otherwise moved on to new positions, taking their institutional memory with them. They risked their careers and their lives for a more equitable South Africa. Thank you for your bravery, dedication and candor.

I am indebted to my mentors at Newcastle University and UCL as well as Cardiff University, Royal Holloway University of London and London School of Economics for their feedback and encouragement. I am eternally grateful to Jenny Robinson and Andrew Harris whose insightful comments provided the roadmap throughout my learning process.

I am thankful to my friends and colleagues in Newcastle, London, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and around the world who offered feedback on journal articles, book chapters, conference presentations and grant proposals, as well as direction for how to navigate the academic netherworld.

A special thanks to the series editors Ruth Craggs, David Featherstone and Chih Yuan Woon for their careful engagement with the manuscript.

I am lucky to have an encouraging husband whose love is my firmest support, children who brighten even the cloudiest of days, and a family that keeps me grounded throughout the many travels we take as academics and individuals.

This book captures and shares the story of BRT in South Africa, and provides a vital record of post-apartheid transformation. Many of the key figures named in this book have since left government, retired or otherwise moved on to new positions, taking their institutional memory with them. They risked their careers and their lives for a more equitable South Africa. Thank you for your bravery, dedication and candor.

I dedicate this work to my late father whose pursuit of social justice imbued me with a similar sense. His anti-apartheid activism, along with so many others, helped make the country of my birth a better place.

This book is for all those who believe.