It has indeed been a great honour for the City of Cape Town to host this event, which aims to identify practical solutions to challenges facing the world.

Cape Town has innovative minds and experts who I’m sure have contributed meaningfully to discussions that have taken place here. We also hope that we have strengthened our networks and relationships with the cities represented at this conference.

Cape Town has been recognised as the top opportunity city in Africa and is fast becoming the focal point of innovation in Africa, with its numerous thinkers, innovators and design-led entrepreneurs. Cape Town was ranked as Africa’s most innovative city in the 2016–2017 Innovation Cities Index, and in 2018 we were again ranked as the number one African city in this Index.

With rapid urbanisation and population growth, governments need workable ways to develop and support their residents. The global population is expected to grow to 10 billion within the next thirty years. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase ten-fold.  As is similar around the world, South African metros are important in driving growth and generate almost two-thirds of the country’s economic activity and just over half of national employment.

Although job creation is not a direct local government mandate, the City has formed partnerships with other spheres of government, the private sector as well as cities around the world to encourage job creation in Cape Town by providing a more enabling business environment that attracts investment and economic growth. The City also supports income generation opportunities for the unemployed through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

More than 63,71% of the country’s population, of over 57,7 million people, are currently concentrated in the urban centres. This figure is projected to increase to 71,3% by 2030 and by then the urban population of developing countries is also predicted to double. Cape Town is not unique and also faces the challenge of adequately addressing the expanding needs of its growing population with declining resources.

As you are aware, the City of Cape Town recently experienced its worst drought in a century. Fortunately, our water reserves stand at just over 60 percent and are in recovery, with the promise of more good rain. Through the lessons of the drought, we developed a new water strategy to become a water-resilient city. Globally, the biggest obstacle we’re facing in our goal to speed up growth and development is the threat of climate change. Governments, including our own, must do more to prepare and respond effectively. A shift towards greener, less carbon-intensive energy supply sources offers Cape Town with an opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint and become more sustainable.

Over the last few years, Cape Town’s public transport challenges have increased as a result of the failing national rail system and other contributing factors. A business plan has been approved to incrementally take over the management of the rail network in Cape Town. However, I must emphasise that this long-term process is in its very early stages.

Cape Town’s road network comprises over 10 600 kilometres. Another way we’re proactively aiming to address congestion is to, over the next three financial years, spend nearly R3 billion rand on extending the MyCiTi bus service, an integrated bus service. Money has also been allocated for building new public transport interchanges (PTIs) and to refurbish existing interchanges for commuters and the minibus-taxi operators.

An integrated, well-functioning, safe and efficient public transport system is one of the key solutions that would alleviate this challenge and improve the functioning of the City as a whole, as well as contribute to improving the quality of life for many citizens. To beat the traffic, we are building new roads and we are prioritising public transport, among other interventions. We have set aside over a combined total of nearly R350 million for the maintenance and reconstruction of the city’s roads as well as new roads and links to alleviate congestion in the worst affected areas.

We are also focusing heavily on delivering quality services to our residents. Because of this commitment to serving our communities, the South African Customer Satisfaction Index reported Cape Town as the best-performing municipality in the country. However, we must work harder to make sure every single person experiences that reality.

As the exchange draws to a close, I hope that delegates have had fruitful discussions. On behalf of the City of Cape Town, we thank you for your participation and wish you a safe journey home. Thank you.

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