LETTER TO THE EDITOR: A new city is not a smart idea for South Africa

As the Young Urbanists, we are surprised and concerned at the implicit support given for the development of a new “smart city” as set out in government pronouncements over the past two months.

While the government should be applauded for highlighting the importance of urbanisation for South Africa’s development and the opportunities and challenges that it presents, as well as looking to take bold steps to address it, we must interrogate what the best approach should be to meet the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality in South Africa’s urban areas.

In 2016, Cabinet adopted the Integrated Urban Development Framework , the official national urban policy, which outlines clearly and explicitly where our national focus needs to be – on transforming the urban places and spaces where most of South Africa’s population already lives. Significant effort from government, civil society and communities is needed to give effect to urban spatial transformation.

As Young Urbanists, we believe South Africa should be wary of shifting focus towards the “new town” dreams of the 1960s and 1970s. It is clear our country needs to capitalise on our existing urban assets, promote integration and densification within our existing urban settlements, and consolidate and improve the maintenance of our urban infrastructure, which is under severe strain.

The global urban planning literature and experience is littered with failed new town developments, withas a stark reminder in the SADC region. Indeed, here in South Africa, we have our fair share of new city proposals that have fallen flat because they do nothing to help undo the apartheid spatial planning legacy or promote renewal, and are not underpinned by a strong connection to spatial economies.

What about cleaning up, sorting out and establishing law and order in the 'old ones' first? 'Pipe-dreams' and 'pie-in-the-sky'. Perhaps reminiscent of the many under-utilized soccer stadiums.

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