As more and more people migrate to cities, it becomes imperative that strategies are put in place to deal with this rapid urbanisation.

How our work forms a cohesive whole

THE South African Cities Network has in place a City Development Strategy (CDS), running over the years 2006 to 2011, which provides its members and partners with a holistic model to promote and support equitable growth.

The objective of the CDS is to ensure an integrated approach to development strategies for South African cities.

SACN focuses on the full scope of the urban management process. This includes promoting sustainable cities, economic growth and poverty reduction, urban renewal, good governance, integrated land management and service delivery and city development strategies.

The CDS helps municipalities develop a clear vision for the future, plan for growth, build partnerships, attract financial support, allocate resources carefully, and deal with unexpected changes.

With this support, each municipality is then in a position to draw up a long-term Integrated Development Plan appropriate for local conditions and developmental prospects.

We take an integrated approach to development strategies for South African cities

Key considerations taken into account in the CDS are:

• Urban Indicators
• HIV and Aids

However, the CDS alone cannot move a city towards achieving development.

It is important for cities to invest resources in attempting to become well governed, inclusive of all their communities, sustainable and productive.

Four quadrants surround the CDS:

• Productive Cities Strategy
• Inclusive Cities Strategy
• Well Governed Cities
• Sustainable Cities

These quadrants affect each other differently, depending on the investment in each of them by the respective cities.