So, What is a Smart City?
Category News
In his February 2021 state of the nation address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that several new post-apartheid cities are being conceptualised across the country.
However, there have been a number of questions raised around what a 'smart city' actually means for South Africa.
Carshif Talip, expertise leader for Urban Planning and Land Infrastructure at engineering consultants Zutari, says that a 'smart city' is a city that leverages innovation to achieve its desired outcomes.
Here, innovation does not necessarily mean only technology, he said.
"A smart city is a city where opportunity, amenity, safety, resilience, inclusivity and prosperity are imperatives, and innovation across financing, design, construction, operations and governance is embraced by all stakeholders to achieve these imperatives."
The fact that innovation is such an integral part of smart cities makes for a natural fit between smart cities and sustainability, he said.
"The emphasis on digital platforms also enables data collection, and the availability of large data sets is one of the first steps towards optimisation."
There are three planned 'smart cities' currently in the works for South Africa which meet these criteria: Lanseria, Durban Aerotropolis & Mooikloof Mega-City development in the east of Pretoria.
Durban Aerotropolis
The Durban Aerotropolis aims to become a premier business and trade hub in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The plan will turn the entire surface area around King Shaka International Airport into a smart city with diversified economic activities that will boost the province's economy.
The city will cover 2,000 hectares of land as well as 10,000 hectares of green space for expansion. The development is also expected to create over 750,000 jobs.
According to the official website for the aerotropolis, the region will ultimately see over a R1 trillion in potential investments and over 1.5 million residents.
It states that a number of components set the aerotropolis apart, affording it a distinct competitive advantage over other South African and African destinations.
These components include:
- A freight-orientated development with, at its heart, a world-class cargo facility managed by a single handler, Dube TradePort Corporation;
- It is purpose-built; and
- It is one of few developments worldwide which incorporate a 'greenfield' site with additional surrounding land available for carefully planned and controlled expansion.
"The coastal situation of the Aerotropolis makes logistics a cost-effective proposition. Its development, in conjunction with the airport city component - Dube TradePort - together with burgeoning seaport infrastructure, direct access to numerous global destinations and linkages to SADC countries, combine to position KwaZulu-Natal as a key business point in South and Southern Africa," the website states.
"Its potential for growth into the future brings together a plethora of like-minded stakeholders whose own objectives align with a shared goal: the creation of an investment climate conducive for the expansion and growth of KwaZulu-Natal's economy through the establishment of new opportunities for the broad business environment as a result of structured and planned development."
Read the Full article here https://businesstech.co.za/news/technology/477240/3-smart-cities-planned-for-south-africa/
Author: Admin