[Cyril Ramaphosa speech]

During the 2019 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined a dream for the South African people, but dreams will remain a dreams, if action isn’t taken to address the real issues that are preventing implementation on the ground. South African municipality practitioners often find themselves bogged down by the challenge of navigating political bureaucracy in order to deliver on their mandate to the communities they serve. The South African Cities Network, a network of cities and partners that encourages the exchange of information, experience and best practices on urban development and city management, recognizes that it’s practitioners are ever going to provide South Africa with cities that are people focused… they will need some help. And so, the built environment integration task team was born. Program manager of the task team Geoffrey Bickford, tells us about the team and its objectives:

[Interview]

Include the bit about this era of the task team from 5:30 in my interview “the 2016 State of Cities Report”

[Music shift]

Two years in, and the task team has already identified diagnostic case studies and written several discussion papers. We asked the practitioners if they found the initiative useful in how they do their work. And this is what they had to say…

[Vox mashup]

Through collaborative knowledge sharing the Network strives to give city practitioners the
tools they need to build a better South Africa.

If it takes a community to raise a child, it only makes sense that it would take several different communities to raise world-class cities, from the ground.

[Vox Intro]

The South African Cities Network is a network of South African cities and partners that encourages the exchange of information, experience and best practices on urban development and city management. The Network knows that diversity of experience is its greatest strength; the organization has created the Built Environment Integration Task Team. The team was established to deal with the practical issues around spatial transformation from the perspective of city practitioners. The members of the task team work in different areas, with different backgrounds and the hope is to learn from one another’s experiences, to strengthen their understanding of the needs of the different communities that they serve.

The end goal, is to create inclusive, people-centered cities by enhancing the built environment. But enough about the goals of the project, let’s get to know the team that hopes to build a better South Africa, brick-by-brick. Adrian Peters, is the Chief Strategy Officer at eThekwini Municipality. Growing up in a council housing scheme, in Northdale, Pietermaritzburg, Adrian thinks that communities play a huge role in shaping cities. He explains why this is so important to him:

[Adrian Peters]

Adrian is not alone, in his feeling that smaller communities have a lot to offer. Eric Raboshakga, a director in the development planning department for the city of Johannesburg, would also like to implement the spirit of community – that he experience growing up – in the country’s larger, more isolating cities.

[Eric Raboshakga]

Like many South Africans several members of the Task Team grew up in disadvantaged communities, under apartheid regime, an environment that NOW inspires them to build a better nation, by correcting past wrongs – through town planning. Adapting to a multiracial schooling system at a young age Cinekile Luthuli, who is the project executive of human settlements, engineering and transport in the eThekwini municipality, says she understands the importance of developing high standards of schooling that benefit ALL children.

[Cinekile Luthuli]

Similarly, Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality group strategy head Nosipho Hlatswayo, struggled to receive a quality education, due to unjust property rights.

[Nosipho Hlatswayo]

Director of spatial planning at the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Dennis Madumo, explains that after having fallen into town planning at a young age, he hopes he can share the wisdom he has gained over the years with his co-workers, to better the lives of South Africans across municipalities.

[Dennis Madumo]

Some members of the group recognize that, small communities with limited resources can stunt the personal and professional growth of community members. Development manager for the city of Johannesburg Shaarika Chohan, says her small town experience inspires her to help others thrive.

[Shaarika Chohan views]

Assistant Director of metro-wide strategic special planning for the City of Johannesburg, Thandeka Mlaza-Lloyd, echo’s Shaarika’s thoughts.

[Thandeka Mlaza-Lloyd’s views]

Having come from a township himself, head of the Enterprise Project Management office in Buffalo City metropolitan Siyabonga Kakaza-Bakumeni, says he understands that communities are frustrated with political promises and look to officials for answers.

[Siya Kakaza-Bakumeni]

Dawn McCarthy, the Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Coordination at Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, says she has found town planning and the impact it has on her community to be rewarding…

[Dawn McCarthy]

George Lebelo, senior manager of strategic planning in Msunduzi municipality, echoes Dawns passion, saying he has always wanted to make a difference in communities similar to the one he grew up in.

[George Lebelo]

This passionate group of individuals – though motivated by different things – have a common goal. They are the voices of South African Cities Network Built Environment Integration Task Team, and they aim develop the knowledge and practice needed to turn South African cities into liveable, lovable places where people and communities can thrive.