Spatial (In)Justice & Tenure Security: Evaluating TRANCRAA Transitions in Thaba Phatswa, South Africa

While urban agendas focus on metropolitan climate resilience, the exclusion of rural settlements remains a critical frontier for spatial justice. This paper examines the Transformation of Certain Rural Areas Act (TRANCRAA) in Thaba Phatswa, Free State. Despite moving from mission origins to a municipal structure, a "justice gap" persists, a lack of title deeds for RDP houses. Drawing on 2024-2025 fieldwork, the study uses a multidimensional justice model (Fraser, Sen, Young, Scott) to evaluate how top-down governance fails bottom-up realities. Findings show that tenure absence stifles the "Right to the City", blocking capital for climate adaptation and development. For initiatives like the Coalition for High-Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) to succeed, policy must bridge national frameworks and local institutionalism (historical, sociological, rational choice, and discursive). This research proves spatial justice is a prerequisite for urban-rural resilience. It concludes with a call for "transformative recognition," which prioritises tenure security as a foundational element of equitable urban science and policy.