Future Cities Africa podcast

Dive in to what rapid urbanisation actually looks like on the ground: from the unique challenges of a 30-year-old democracy and a super-young population, to smarter-city solutions that actually work, future-proof planning, and how to deliver services to millions while building climate resilience – without bankrupting municipalities or repeating yesterday's mistakes.

Dan Claassen sits down with Bronwyn Williams, co-author of the explosive new book Survive the AI Apocalypse: A Guide for Solutionists. It calls the next decade a full-on reset: jobs evaporating, deepfakes everywhere, every old life script burnt to the ground… and a supernova of brand-new choices exploding open. A lot of people are freaking out – but what if this great shrinkage is actually our continent's biggest breakout moment ever?

Bronwyn's here to flip the fear into firepower. Five hard hitting questions: from turning panic into solutionist superpowers, to building future African cities where humans and AI amplify each other instead of one wiping out the other.

Presented by Business Engineering Guest: Dawie de Jager, Deputy Municipal Manager, Kouga Local Municipality Episode Focus: How Kouga went from financial distress in 2016 to becoming the best-performing municipality in the Eastern Cape (2025 SAPOA | Ratings Africa Awards) and achieving repeated clean audits. Key Takeaways:

1. Turnaround Foundation (2016 onwards)
   • Clean, ethical governance and strict financial discipline were non-negotiable
   • Appointed competent, ethical people despite salary-cap challenges
   • Strong consequence management for fraud and unethical behaviour
   • Excellent CFOs enforced compliance with the MFMA led to Kouga's first clean audit and continuous improvement
2. Performance Management & Oversight
   • Cascaded performance agreements from top to bottom
   • Introduced Ignite system with monthly tracking and live dashboards
   • Strong political-administrative alignment and council oversight
3. Infrastructure & Visible Results
   • Fixed dilapidated bulk water & wastewater treatment works (e.g., state-of-the-art upgrades at KwaNomzamo)
   • Massive road resealing program (targeting 71% of roads) + new gravel-to-tar projects
4. Innovation in Service Delivery
   • Smart technology on suction tankers, smart metering pilots, upgraded wastewater plants
   • Central incident management system: call centre - job dispatch - photo proof - SMS notification - customer rates the service
   • Ward-based WhatsApp groups, multilingual communication, online building-plan submissions
5. Digital Transformation (Collaborator & Beyond)
   • Collaborator platform streamlined document management, policy reviews, council resolutions, and agenda preparation
   • PowerBI service-delivery dashboards give real-time ward-level insights
   • Early AI exploration: internal search on documents, future WhatsApp AI assistant (with caution)
6. Future Outlook
   • Balancing cutting-edge tech with the human touch South Africans still value
   • Embracing AI and smart tools proactively 'so we are not left behind'

Kouga's success recipe = ethical leadership + financial discipline + competent people + smart digital systems that make governance and service delivery transparent, fast, and accountable. A standout example for local government in South Africa.

Dive into the impactful corporate social responsibility initiatives of the Sanlam Foundation. This episode explores how Sanlam Foundation drives social and economic change through education, enterprise development, and financial literacy, while addressing challenges and fostering sustainable outcomes in urban nodes like Bellville.

Presented by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership, my guest in this episode is with Ray-ann Sedres, Head of Sanlam Foundation.

His Worship, Councillor, Prince, Thuso Moyo, Mayor of City of Victoria Falls, outlines the city's post-2020 infrastructure upgrades, community-driven tourism recovery strategies, robust digital platforms for transparent service delivery, and promising opportunities for partnerships to build a smart, green city by 2030.

The city, upgraded from town status in 2020, has launched a US$15 million WASH project—raising US$4.5 million through stands sales—to construct 5 million and 750,000-liter water reservoirs, improving supply despite infrastructure lags.

Tourism, employing 90% of residents, suffered severe COVID-19 setbacks with business closures, prompting strategies like small business stands in areas like Kishasa, youth skills training to curb substance abuse, and support for vulnerable groups.

Digital transformation is central to enhancing transparency, efficiency, and global accessibility: leveraging platforms like Facebook (for live-streaming updates), WhatsApp, Twitter, TikTok, a chatbot, and website for resident engagement; enabling seamless online payments via EcoCash and internet banking; and allowing remote applications for housing, tenders, and licenses - even for diaspora residents. A dedicated new planning department and submitted master plan further embed initiatives like digital signages, positioning the city as a tech-forward hub to attract international investors and streamline operations toward sustainability goals.

Partnerships with NGOs like PRI for city cleaning and MOUs with community leaders advance the 2030 vision of a smart green city - the cleanest by then -fostering investments like four to five new hotels.

Challenges include bureaucratic delays in ministry approvals, but no major political instability; the peaceful environment attracts global tourists and funds, prioritising tourism as one of Africa's seven wonders.

We discuss key initiatives driving change, including improving financial management and assurance in municipalities, prioritising performance management, advancing professionalisation, enhancing policy implementation, promoting sustainable change, and how the annual Local Government Conversations webinar series by Future Cities Africa fosters collaboration and improves municipal practices.

Uncover key lessons from Harare's growth and the role of ordinary people in driving urban change.

My guest today is Davison Muchadenyika, Senior Urban Specialist at the World Bank Group and author of The Making of an African City.

He's worked with many governments across Africa to build sustainable, inclusive cities.

Welcome to the Local Government Innovation Series on Future Cities Africa, presented by Business Engineering. Mayor Ralph Nyasha Maoneyi of Kariba Municipality, Zimbabwe, introduces Kariba as a tourism-driven town with a rich history linked to the Kariba Dam.

He discusses key service delivery initiatives, including the Polyclinic and school expansions, challenged by only 12% devolution fund disbursements, leading to local resource reliance.

The economic downturn and tourism decline are tackled with a revival strategy focusing on airport upgrades, road rehabilitation, and private-sector-led accommodation and adventure zones.

Digitally, Kariba innovates with a chatbot for complaints or requests, a GIS system for mapping, and a housing module for profiling, boosting transparency and planning.

Looking ahead, Maoneyi sees opportunities in water, energy partnerships, investment, and city-to-city diplomacy for smart, sustainable growth.

Presented by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership Episode Guests Rirhandzu Marivate, Programs Manager at the South African Urban Food and Farming Trust Jacqui Samson, professional planner and owner of J Samson Consultancy.

Episode Summary

The episode highlights Bellville as Cape Town's second-largest CBD and a major transport interchange, attracting over 90,000 daily commuters. This bustling hub fosters a vibrant informal food trading system that provides accessible, culturally diverse food options, enhancing food security for residents and commuters.

The market's informal traders form a symbiotic relationship with the formal retail sector, creating a dynamic supply-and-demand network that supports local businesses and commuters alike. Key challenges for traders include inadequate infrastructure (e.g., lack of storage, electricity, and sanitation), safety concerns, and cumbersome permitting processes.

The AfriFoodLinks project, in collaboration with the Greater Tygerberg Partnership, is addressing these through innovative solutions like prototyping food vending structures, improving waste management with black soldier fly facilities, and introducing capacity-building programs for food safety compliance. These initiatives aim to create dignified, hygienic, and sustainable trading environments.

The discussion also covers urban planning's role in integrating innovations like cashless systems, mobile trading structures, and enhanced waste management to support traders. The Greater Tygerberg Partnership's market management model and sustainability efforts, such as organic waste processing for composting, aim to empower traders to adopt greener practices. Co-design with vendors ensures these solutions are contextually appropriate, fostering trust and community ownership.

The episode concludes with reflections on the informal economy's social ecosystem, where traders operate with a "social license" despite regulatory challenges. The Greater Tygerberg Partnership's goal to become a knowledge hub offers a scalable model for supporting informal traders across South African cities, emphasising technology (e.g., e-services, AI, and Wi-Fi access) and stakeholder collaboration to enhance business operations and urban resilience.

Welcome to the Local Government Innovation Series on Future Cities Africa, presented by Business Engineering.

Nestled in the heart of Namaqualand, Kamiesberg is addressing rural challenges with innovative strategies, blending digital advancements and community-driven solutions.

Let's dive into their journey of transformation, service delivery, and community connection!