The Civil Engineering Contractor November 2018 | Page 38

THOUGHT LEADERS
Urbanisation
Africa’s saviour or demise?
Deon du Plessis, function manager at SMEC.
By Deon du Plessis
Over the ages, people
have migrated to cities for
economic opportunities,
safety, security, culture,
and learning. Urbanisation
has led to the rise of
these cities as centres
of wealth and a higher
quality of life for its
inhabitants compared to
the tough rural life that
they left behind.
U
rbanisation has the potential
to improve people’s quality
of life, and the ongoing
success of cities’ ability to do so
creates an ever-growing demand to
move towards the city. The efficiency
of cities is illustrated by the fact that
80% of the world’s GDP is produced
by 50% of the world’s population that
is urbanised.
Cities are home to relatively
younger and working-age adults than
rural areas are, providing labour that
can create demographic advantages if
the youth have the skills necessary to
be used in the new economy. Cities
are introducing initiatives aimed
at addressing poverty, improving
infrastructure, and tackling pollution
36 | CEC November 2018
and inequalities in the city by
providing households with incentives
for preventative health care,
education, and job training. Cities
worldwide are now reporting on air
pollution levels, which allow them
to map the main sources of pollution
and implement effective measures
to improve the quality of the air.
All positives for cities, but there is
another side to the coin.
Urbanisation also presents many
challenges. It is estimated that nearly
40% of the world’s urban expansion
may be in slums, exacerbating
economic disparities and unsanitary
conditions. Rapid urbanisation
is also linked to environmental
concerns and many cities located
in coastal areas or on river banks
may also be vulnerable to natural
disasters such as storms, cyclones,
and floods. Likewise, poor urban
infrastructure — such as unreliable
power systems, congested roads,
poor public transport, inefficient
ports, and inadequate schools —
reduces cities’ competitiveness and
economic prospects.
By 2050, more than two-thirds of
the world’s population is projected
to be living in urban areas. Africa’s
urban population is projected to
jump from 40% today to 56% by
2050. More than a billion people live
in housing that is below minimum
standards of comfort and sanitation.
To accommodate the rapid expansion
in urban dwelling, three-billion homes
will have to be built by 2050. Investing
in essential infrastructure propels
growth and human development.
Good governance and the rule of law
are essential prerequisites to effective
infrastructure delivery; the absence of
which results in inefficient delivery at
best and chaotic squatter settlement
— with its associated ills of crime and
grime — at worst.
Government’s role
In South African cities, provincial
and national authorities have been
formulating urbanisation strategies as
a first step to help to identify urban
development priorities, shape plans,
and better coordinate actions between
all the role players involved, including
the private sector. This requires
the alignment of plans developed
by cities with those developed by
utilities, be they national state-owned
organisations or municipal-owned
entities and departments. A lack of
alignment and collaboration often
frustrates and delays effective and
efficient implementation.
As mentioned, intergovernmental
relationships are key to successful
urbanisation. National, regional, and
city governments and state-owned
organisations need to be connected
and share a similar vision. Local
governments need technical and
managerial skills; the ability to
engage with the public; and strong
abilities to design, implement,
monitor, and evaluate local public
policies and services.
Land and transport play a critical
role. Access to land involves
incomplete strategies of tenure
www.civilsonline.co.za