The City of Johannesburg is stepping into a more modern and sustainable future with the launch of its Community Innovation Challenge and Awards 2024. Led by the City’s Smart City office, this initiative aims to inspire fresh ideas and foster collaborative problem-solving that engages residents and stakeholders in developing impactful solutions. These innovations will focus on modernising service delivery and addressing critical community challenges.
The Executive Mayor Member of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr. Dada Morero encourages all residents, especially the youth, to participate. He notes that the challenge is a vital part of the City’s broader efforts to co-produce solutions and modernise operations. “We want to merge creativity with collaboration to unlock new opportunities. Central to our approach is the City’s comprehensive Innovation Framework, a strategic roadmap that fosters a culture of innovation where residents and stakeholders can generate real-world solutions,” Mayor Morero explains.
Furthermore, Mayor Morero is mindful that youth constitute a youth bulge in Johannesburg and young people should be agents of development and transformation of the City is serious about resolving the question of unemployment and inequalities in the context of urbanisation.
The Community Innovation Challenge invites individuals, teams, and local organisations across Johannesburg’s wards and regions to submit their ideas. The focus is on addressing everyday issues that impact residents, whether through service improvements, technological innovations, or empowering communities. “Winning ideas won’t just receive recognition but will also be piloted to improve specific areas of City services,” Mayor Morero adds.
Nelson Sekgota, Project Manager at Wits University’s Tshimologong Precinct, underscores the key criteria for submissions. He emphasises that innovations must solve a specific problem, improve residents’ experiences, and demonstrate scalability and usability. Importantly, the solutions should be low-cost, easy to implement, and designed to enhance the City’s service delivery.
“This is more than just an awards event—it’s a call for bold, practical ideas that reimagine urban management,” Sekgota says. “Our collaboration with Wits Tshimologong ensures that we’re tapping into cutting-edge academic expertise while leveraging community insights to build a more agile, responsive city.”
Monique Griffith, Head of Innovation Partnerships at the Smart City office, highlights the transformative potential of the initiative. “By redefining innovation to focus on unique, practical, and valuable contributions, the City is setting the stage for transformative change. As we invite residents and stakeholders to participate, Johannesburg is positioning itself as a leader in modern urban management where creativity and collaboration drive progress,” she says.
Key criteria for submissions include:
• Impact: The idea must create visible improvements in the daily lives of residents.
• Reach: Solutions should address issues affecting a large group of people or a broader area.
• Service Enhancement: The innovation must demonstrate the potential to improve public services.
• Proactive Community: Solutions should empower communities to tackle their challenges independently.
• Innovation: Ideas must offer new, novel ways to resolve ongoing problems.
• Usability: The solution should be feasible and have clear benefits for the community.
• Implementation Phases: Submissions should outline the steps required to bring the idea to life.
• Itemized Costing: Innovations must be low-cost, with a budget under R300,000 for the pilot phase.
• Intellectual Property: The submission must be the intellectual property of the submitting party, open-source, or properly licensed.
• Submissions: Must be completed electronically using the official form and signed by the innovator or lead representative.
Interested individuals and stakeholders can visit the City of Johannesburg’s website, www.joburg.org.za, to register and participate in the Community Innovation Challenge.
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