Development trumps environment in busy Beijing
Beijing is being rapidly transformed ahead of the 2008 Olympics. Preparations are going so well that this ancient city will be ready months in advance, while work continues on the city’s 50- year development strategy.
A new take on local economic development
There’s a shift away from local government as funders of a bottomless pit of ‘grow, sew and bake’ projects to becoming enablers of local economic development. But how best can this be achieved?
A race to end cross-boundary municipalities
Achieving consensus in a process involving an Act of Parliament, a constitutional amendment, public participation and multiple government role players will not be easy – and there’s a lot of work to do before elections can be held.
A day in the life of a taxi rank
Minibus taxis are the lifeblood of many communities and, love them or hate them, they’re often the only way to get around. VINCENT LALI spent a day at a Cape Town rank.
What we have learnt from Delmas
What failed in the systems and allowed typhoid to break out in the Delmas area in Mpumalanga area for a second time? MTHOBELI KOLISA looks at what municipalities can do to avoid similar problems.
Web-based information management
A district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal is pioneering a world-class information management system to efficiently manage municipal affairs from the comfort of a computer.
Focus on the Eastern Cape
What is happening in municipalities across the Eastern Cape? Members of Parliament were briefed by the MEC for Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Sam Kwelita, and gained a clearer understanding of the challenges facing the 45 municipalities in one of the poorest provinces.
Gautrain booster for economic growth
South Africa’s most ambitious public transport initiative, the Gautrain, aims to change attitudes towards public transport while getting thousands of commuters off the roads and out of their cars.
Agreement paves way for progress
With pressure on to speed up the delivery of decent low-income housing, a wide range of players have put their names to a joint commitment to help fast-track development.
Is it a bird, is it a plane? No it's a traffic fine
Local government is a funny thing and everyone is an expert these days. The country’s hacks are managing to fill column centimetre after column centimetre with mediocre news and analysis about the third sphere.
A long road ahead to 2010
eThekwini City Manager Mike Sutcliffe recently visisted Germany, where the investment, especially in public transport, ahead of the 2006 Soccer World Cup was an eye-opener.
Is there a place for the poor in our cities?
Are the poor being excluded from our CBDs and inner cities? Critics, like the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, claim that they are deliberately being moved out. MONTY NARSOO asks if this is true and why it may be happening.
Growing entrepreneurs
The success of an organic farming project in the Western Cape demonstrates how government, the private sector and community-based organisations can work in partnership to alleviate poverty and create jobs.
Probing the protestsare
For almost a year, local unrest has been in the news. TEDDY NEMEROFF argues that community disempowerment and poor communication is at the root of citizen dissatisfaction with service delivery.
Rail versus rapid bus
With both rail and rapid bus projects on the cards, which of these modes is best suited for South African conditions?
Joburg moves on transport crisis
The City of Johannesburg is taking steps to improve public transport ahead of the World Cup. It presently takes on average 48 minutes to get to work, which compares poorly with London, Paris, Singapore and Seoul, the world-class cities that Joburg aspires to join.
Talking to ... Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa
He’s the executive mayor of the capital city and president of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa. DELIVERY spoke to Father Mkhatshwa about progress made in Tshwane over the past five years and the work that still remains to be done.
Talking to ... Metro Police Chiefs
How effective are our city police? DELIVERY spoke to the police chiefs in two of our metropolitan municipalities about the services they deliver to residents.
Counting the cost of communications
Expensive telecommunications costs South Africa’s municipalities millions each month – money that could be better spent addressing backlogs. SHARIVAN MOODLEY looks at some of the issues of concern to municipalities.
Turning a caravan park into a community
A partnership between the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the private sector has created a model housing solution for the urban poor.