Over 20 Years of Generating Credible Urban Insights: Building a Network for South Africa’s Cities

In the early 2000s, South Africa’s cities were standing at a pivotal crossroads. Local government had been fundamentally restructured following the democratic transition. New metropolitan municipalities had been formed, mandates expanded, and cities were now constitutionally recognised as a distinct sphere of government with a developmental role. Yet, while the policy and legislative frameworks were taking shape, cities were grappling with the realities of implementation, complex urban challenges, limited institutional memory, and few platforms for structured learning and collaboration. It was within this context that the South African Cities Network (SACN) was established in 2002.

 

A response to a changing urban landscape. The formation of SACN coincided with a period of intense transformation in South Africa’s local government system. The introduction of “wall-to-wall” municipalities, integrated development planning, new governance models, and expanded service delivery responsibilities placed unprecedented pressure on cities to perform and to perform differently.

 

There was a growing recognition that large cities faced shared challenges that could not be addressed in isolation. Urbanisation, spatial inequality, infrastructure backlogs, economic exclusion and governance reforms demanded new ways of thinking, learning and working across city boundaries. SACN was therefore established to complement the work of national and local government institutions, providing a dedicated platform where cities could engage directly with one another, share experiences, and co-produce knowledge grounded in practice.

 

A platform for city-to-city learning

From its inception, SACN was designed as more than a research organisation. It positioned itself as a knowledge intermediary, bridging research, policy and practice in the service of better cities. One of its earliest innovations was the establishment of reference groups, which brought together city practitioners, sector experts, and partners around key urban themes. These groups created a structured space for peer learning, collaborative problem solving and the generation of practitioner-led knowledge. Importantly, this approach recognised cities not only as implementers of policy, but as producers of valuable urban knowledge. This model continues to underpin SACN’s work today.

 

Making the case for cities

A defining milestone in SACN’s early years was the release of the first State of the Cities Report. At a time when cities were often viewed primarily as sites of service delivery pressure, the report reframed them as drivers of social and economic transformation. By providing an evidence-based assessment of how South Africa’s largest cities were performing, the report helped shape public policy, inform planning across all spheres of government, and establish a shared understanding of urban priorities. It also cemented SACN’s role as a trusted source of city-focused action research.

 

Knowledge that works in practice

What distinguished SACN from the outset was its commitment to research with impact. Its work was never intended to be purely academic. Instead, it focused on generating insights that could inform real decisions, from municipal finance and governance reform to spatial transformation, infrastructure investment and social inclusion.

Over time, this approach enabled SACN to become part of South Africa’s institutional urban memory, tracking how cities evolve, respond to crises, and adapt to changing political, economic and social conditions.

 

Looking back and forward

More than two decades after its establishment, the rationale for SACN remains as relevant as ever. Cities continue to sit at the centre of South Africa’s development trajectory, facing growing pressures but also immense opportunities. The founding vision of SACN, to support cities through knowledge co-creation, learning and collaboration, has proven both durable and necessary.

 

As urban challenges become more complex, the value of a network that enables cities to learn from one another and from global and regional practices, speak with evidence, and shape policy from the ground up is clear. That purpose continues to guide its work and its contribution to building inclusive, sustainable, productive and well-governed South African cities.

 

Partnerships sit at the heart of this work. In a context where cities are central to economic recovery and social cohesion, sustained collaboration and credible urban research are essential. Through the support of our partners, we can deepen and extend this impact. We remain committed to strengthening existing partnerships and building new ones in support of South Africa’s cities.

 

If you would like to partner with us on this journey, we invite you to engage with SACN. Click here

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