With a record-breaking budget of R25-billion for the 2007-08 financial year, the City of Johannesburg plans to pay specific attention to sectors critical to economic growth.

The eThekwini municpality and the Confederation of Indian Industry have signed a memorandum of understanding and will work together to promote manufacturing.

Authorities have developed a plan to upgrade and construct about 500 kilometres of road networks around the Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metros.

The City of Cape Town is set to investigate the main causes of air pollution in Khayelitsha as part of an effort to understand the dynamics of air pollution in informal settlements.

An efficient transport system is vital to the smooth running of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, and German experts have been brought on board to ensure resources are maximised.

The metro is in the process of updating and rationalising its spatial planning policies and frameworks in order to give direction to the City's long-term development.

Operation Gcin'amanzi has been discussed at the C40 Large Cities Summit on climate change in New York, where Executive Mayor Amos Masondo was serving on a panel looking at saving city water.

At least 1 700 posts are to be filled across various functions of the city with a strong emphasis on staffing the utilities, safety and security departments.

Executive mayor Duma Nkosi recently reported back to the community on the metro's current status, the progress made to date and goals for the future.

The City of Johannesburg has announced that it has a strategy and the money to stop the rot in its tracks through a regional urban management plan for the inner city.

The Global Development Network is calling for submissions for its 2007 round of the Global Development Awards and Medals Competition.