Thabo Bodibe
Gauteng recently hosted the National Urban Forum to strengthen collaborative efforts among critical departments to address the country’s urban development challenges.
The forum, led by Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, sought to address sustainable urban development challenges through constructive dialogue among government entities, civil society, and the private sector.
They facilitated constructive dialogues among government entities, civil society, and the private sector, such as Human Settlements, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the South African Cities Network, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme to promote sustainable urban development.
During the current financial year, the Department of Human Settlements has allocated R8.7 billion towards the Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG) to all metropolitan municipalities.
Gauteng metropolitan municipalities have undertaken bulk infrastructure projects to address service delivery challenges.
Addressing the forum, Minister Kubayi said the National Development Plan (NDP) calls on South Africa to start a national conversation about cities, towns, and villages and argues that South Africa would benefit from greater public awareness, mutual understanding, and discussion of the future of its villages, towns, and cities.
To achieve this, the minister said the media and civil society organisations could stimulate a national, provincial and local conversation about neighbourhoods, towns and cities.
“Municipalities, provinces and national departments will facilitate and engage in the debate and incorporate the emerging ideas and suggestions into their strategic plans.
“We have an opportunity here to enhance the country’s human settlements and urban development trajectory and develop concrete programmes and projects that result in real outcomes guided by the principle of continuous improvement,” said Minister Kubayi.
The National Urban Forum, supported by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is crucial as South Africa’s population proliferates. This has prompted industry experts to explore the implementation of an Urban Agenda Forum.
SOURCED FROM GPG.
