Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Page 1 of 20
New York to Joburg: Remaking cities using transport
Friday 25 February 2011, 12:00 – 17:00 Market Theatre Laboratory Auditorium, The Bus Factory, 3 President Street, Newtown, Johannesburg
_________________________
Background and context Sithole Mbanga, CEO of the SA Cities Network (SACN), welcomed everyone to the seminar on shared transport and planning experiences between New York and Johannesburg and introduced the speakers for the first session. He emphasised the role of sustainable public transport in transforming cities and spoke about the important changes that transport investments have brought about in Johannesburg and other South African Cities since 2006 when the last South African State of the Cities Report was published by the SACN. Cllr Rehana Moosajee, member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Transportation in the City of Johannesburg, welcomed the visitors from the Institute of Transport and Development Policy (ITDP) and New York City. She set the scene for deliberations by reminding seminar participants of the power relations that define urban transport systems. She described the way in which the needs of the poorest members of society have not been adequately accommodated in transport services in Johannesburg in the past. This ‘silent voice’ is the voice that the City of Johannesburg has listened to: “The voice of people who do not own cars, who queue to catch minibus taxis, or wait patiently to catch unreliable Metrobuses and trains. The voice of people who spend a disproportionate part of their salaries on transport.” she said. Rehana called for more media attention for public transport issues, and made the point that more print space and airtime is given to potholes and toll road fees than to the plight of people who have not had a bus service for two weeks because of the bus drivers’ strike, or the child who has respiratory problems because of exposure to dangerous levels of vehicle emissions. She challenged seminar participants to answer the question of how we can change the car-focused mindset and power-balance in Johannesburg: “Do we want to live in a city made up of increasingly isolated individuals retreating in their private cars behind high walls? she asked. Rehana acknowledged the vision of the taxi operators who recognised the opportunities presented by the City of Johannesburg’s transport strategies and became partners with the City to deliver the Rea Vaya bus rapid transit service. This internationally-acclaimed service is part of the solution, but Joburg still has some way to go.
Page 2 of 20
“Joburg would be nothing without its people. We must put people and their voices at the centre of transport and landuse planning. We owe our citizens the dignity of a decent transport system” she said. About the Our Cities Ourselves programme Our Cities Ourselves is a programme of the ITDP that celebrates its 25-year track record of working with cities worldwide to bring about sustainable transport solutions that cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of urban life. Walter Hook, Executive Director of the ITDP, explained that the Our Cities Ourselves programme is intended to give transport leaders a tool to renegotiate the power relationships in this sector. By demonstrating the vision of a sustainable transport future, it may be possible to balance the influence of transport engineers and planners. “It is time to remake the image of the future city that is dominated by technologies rather than people” he said. Our Cities Ourselves shows the visions of ten of the world's cities from ten of the world's leading architects. The cities are Ahmedabad, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Dar es Salaam, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Mexico City, New York City, and Rio de Janeiro. These cities have proven to be leaders in innovation in sustainable transport and are fertile ground for further transformation. The exhibition helps us imagine them in 2030, when 60 percent of the global population – or five billion people – will live in urban areas, mostly in the developing world. The visions show safe, vibrant streets that promote social and economic equality; privilege mass transit, bicyclists and pedestrians; and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Underpinning the exhibition is a publication, “Our Cities Ourselves: 10 Principles for Transport in Urban Life” produced by ITDP in conjunction with urbanists, Gehl Architects and Nelson\Nygaard. The publication shows how cities can meet the challenges of rapid population growth and climate change while improving their competitiveness. The principles effectively reframe transport so that it is no longer seen as separate from, but rather integral to, urban design. Walter summarised the ten principles of sustainable transport as:
i. Walk the walk: Create great pedestrian environments ii. Powered by people: Create a great environment for bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles
iii. Get on the bus: Provide great, cost-effective public transport iv. Cruise control: Provide access for clean passenger vehicles at safe speeds and in significantly
reduced numbers v. Deliver the goods: Service the city in the cleanest and safest manner.
vi. Mix it up: Mix people and activities, buildings and spaces. vii. Fill it in: Build dense, people and transit oriented urban districts that are desirable.
viii. Get real: Preserve and enhance the local, natural, cultural, social and historical assets. ix. Connect the blocks: Make walking trips more direct, interesting and productive with small-size,
permeable buildings and blocks. x. Make it last: Build for the long term. Sustainable cities bridge generations. They are memorable,
malleable, built from quality materials, and well maintained. The exhibition opened in New York at the American Institute of Architect’s gallery in the summer of 2010. It has been on display at the Franz Meyer Museo in Mexico City and the Centro Cultural Correios in Rio de Janeiro. It will open in India, China and Argentina over the coming months.
Page 3 of 20
The exhibition is designed to attract interest and stimulate debate, enabling ITDP to maximize its impact in cities throughout the world. The aim is to think about what sort of cities we want to live in, the sort of street we want to walk along, and the sort of future we want for ourselves and our children. Looking ahead, how will each of us help create our cities for ourselves? In Johannesburg , the exhibition will be on view at the Bus Factory, the YMCA hall in Orlando East, the John Moffat Building at Wits University, and Museum Africa during February and March 2011.
About the Orlando East 2030 vision for Our Cities Ourselves
Images of the potential future for Orlando East Jonathan Manning, from Ikemeleng Architects, and Vissie Fourie, from Osmond Lange, presented their future vision for Orlando East, which was developed for the Our Cities Ourselves exhibition. Jonathan
Page 4 of 20
described present-day Joburg as a city of two speeds, where “a car is the entrance ticket to the city’s cultural and social life.” He then described a possible future Orlando East with vibrant public spaces, surrounded by busy shops and restaurants, and medium density housing for office workers and young professionals who don’t want to move out of Soweto, but enjoy the convenience of being able to get to work in Sandton in less than 45 minutes on a Rea Vaya bus. He showed illustrations of iconic buildings marking the gateway to Orlando East and large parks that are filled with families who take the train out of the inner city on weekends. Vissie then showed how it might be possible to make this vision a reality through private investment in property development in this important transit hub. He told a story of neighbours who developed their properties together to go from two small detached homes to a two-storey building with retail on the ground floor, two large apartments for the families and three smaller apartments for tenants.
Example of collaborative property development in Orlando East
Page 5 of 20
While the Orlando East 2030 vision is clearly inspiring, commentators emphasised that there is a need to negotiate solutions such as these sustainable transport ideals with community members to get support for any future development. Rehana Moosajee shared Joburg’s experience of community consultation in designing the Rea Vaya stations. She made the point that this seminar is supposed to be a catalyst for a discussion about any number of visions for the future city: “People must own developmental processes before they will own the results.” Some commentators highlighted the need for more green space and more renewable energy solutions in the visions of a more sustainable city.
New York – Johannesburg Exchange I: Sustainable transport solutions Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, and Lisa Seftel, Executive Director of the City of Joburg’s Department of Transportation, shared their experience of promoting sustainable transport solutions in their respective cities. Janette introduced the audience to the strategic approach of making New York a greater greener city. This is informed by PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg’s sustainability strategy that aims to make the city work even better with a population of up to 9 million people by 2025. New York has a lower carbon footprint than other US cities, but there is scope to further exploit the value of the public transport infrastructure and systems. In 2008 New York introduced the World Class Streets strategy that set targets for cutting traffic fatalities by half, introducing more rapid bus lines, doubling bicycle commuting, and taking a complete streets design approach. The strategy proposed redesigning streets to prioritise NMT and enhance the value of streetscapes. This included treating streets as property assets. The Times Square transformation is a key example of the results that have been achieved.
Before and after photographs of the pedestrianisation of Times Square Many of the street transformations were achieved at a low cost. By painting demarcated pedestrian spaces and installing tables and chairs, quick results were achieved. NY was a city without seats, and the installation of seats has proved to be transformational. Pedestrian volumes have resulted in improved retail returns because pedestrians spend more than drivers. There is also an application-based plaza development programme, that allows the City to respond to neighbourhood needs and local initiative.
Page 6 of 20
Example of low-cost street transformation Not all of the interventions are permanent: weekend street transformations (such as pop-up plazas) and event-based street transformations (such as walks, art festivals, performances and soccer screenings) changed the way citizens relate to NY streets and helped to reach many people with the reality of a greater greener New York in a short space of time. Janette explained that “streets don’t need to be used in the same way all the time.”
Example of using the street as temporary space to screen 2010 FIFA World Cup games Signage and way-finding is as important for pedestrians as it is for drivers. New signs and navigation tools based on cell-phone and internet technology have been introduced for pedestrians in New York.
Examples of pedestrian signs and navigation tools in New York
Page 7 of 20
Visual detail is important in the transformation of streets. It is important to get people to linger in these public spaces, and the surrounding streetscapes are treated as ‘canvases’ for public art.
Examples of public art in New York Sustainable mobility is all about the BRT system in New York. This system has less infrastructure than the Joburg Rea Vaya system, as it has smaller bus stations. In addition to the bus lanes, New York City has also installed 250 miles of on-street bike ways. One design lesson is that parked cars can be used as a barrier to protect cyclists.
Examples of dedicated bus and cycle ways in New York As a result of these interventions by New York City, traffic fatalities are down and injuries have been reduced. Targeted improvements have been made in vulnerable areas of the city and New York is becoming a greater greener city. Lisa Seftel explained how traffic plans in Joburg are driven by national guidelines. The City of Joburg’s Integrated Transport Plan (2003 – 2008) is all about establishing a strategic public transport network (SPTN) with priority movement corridors. As a result of 2010 Fifa World Cup commitments and a new capital grant for Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems, the City stepped up implementation of the SPTN to include new modes of transport like the Rea Vaya BRT service. Joburg has received international recognition for the scale and quality of the Rea Vaya intervention, and the speed at which it was implemented. The visually striking design of the bus stations, and the integrated artworks on the station buildings are acknowledged as leading practice.
Page 8 of 20
Launch of the Rea Vaya BRT service in Johannesburg, August 2009 Lisa made the observation that the space economy in Joburg is more fluid than in New York. Planning for the public transport system in Joburg is premised on the assumption that there will be increased suburbanization in the medium term. Densification strategies are emerging, but these need to be further developed in transport and land-use plans. Sustainability is a key theme in Johannesburg’s transport plans. The complete streets concept is being considered as a way to reallocate street space to pedestrians. Sidewalks have been improved in urban regeneration areas (particularly in the inner city) through the Johannesburg Development Agency’s public environment upgrading work, but Lisa pointed out that we could be more assertive about claiming car space for pedestrians.
Examples of JDA projects to upgrade pedestrian space in Joburg Lisa also highlighted the stormwater challenges in the city. These relate to stormwater infrastructure backlogs, increased rain and flooding due to climate change, insensitive paving practices, and conflict between stormwater and pedestrian infrastructure. Janette responded by confirming that stormwater management is also an issue in New York. A green infrastructure plan and a sustainable stormwater management plan have been developed to promote environmentally sound stormwater management practice. Street design guidelines are now regulated, and anyone who touches the street is bound by these regulations in New York. Lisa concluded her input by re-emphasising the point that energy efficiency objectives in Joburg, mean that we must reduce private car use. “Sustainability is about materials and maintenance on the one hand, but it is also about non-material things like political commitment and leadership, and values.” she said: “There is a need to balance short term objectives with long term vision in Johannesburg.”
Page 9 of 20
New York – Johannesburg Exchange II: Transit-led and transit-oriented planning Amanda Burden, Chair of the New York City Planning Commission, and Philip Harrison, Chair in Development Planning and Modelling at the University of the Witwatersrand, made presentations about transit-led and transit-oriented planning in New York and Johannesburg. Amanda Burden began by outlining the six planning principles that define PlaNYC . These are sustainable growth; a five-borough economic development strategy; preservation of neighborhood character; a complete neighborhoods approach; green initiatives; and waterfront development.
New York welcomes immigrants as part of a sustainable growth strategy. In order to accommodate this growth, the City has been through a major rezoning exercise that will channel growth around subways and inhibit land use changes and growth in other areas. Amanda emphasised the importance of neighbourhood character and heritage in New York. Through the zoning system, neighbourhoods are protected from developments that will affect their character. She made the point that the success of this preservation is felt at the human scale and at street level.
Examples of neighbourhood character that is being preserved in New York There is a move to develop new economic centres in each of New York City’s five boroughs. These are neglected nodes near to transit services that are rezoned for higher density mixed land-use, provided with tax breaks to encourage businesses, and redeveloped into regional and central business districts with good public and open space and a walkable environment. Hudson Yards is a good example of the application of this programme. Hudson Yards was rezoned from industrial to mixed use and developed into a transit oriented walkable neighbourhood. There has been significant new private investment in properties in this area and a new subway line costing $2 billion will be funded from development charges and municipal bonds.
Hudson Yards economic centre development in New York
Page 10 of 20
An example of a green initiative in New York is West Chelsea and the High Line. The High Line was an abandoned rail line that has been turned into a park. There are 33 new development projects around the High Line, and this area is now a sought-after location that attracts property investment. The City traded development rights in the vicinity of the High Line to secure private funding to develop the park.
The High Line linear park in West Chelsea, New York Promoting choice is a key principle that underpins New York planning. This includes choice of housing and access to urban amenities and services. An inclusionary housing system requires 20% low income housing in all developments in exchange for additional development rights. Access to fresh produce is a key challenge in New York, so neighbourhood grocery stores are incentivised through zoning. New public open space developments, including big parks or small privately-owned public open plazas are encouraged through zoning.
Example of large new park built on a land fill site: Fresh Kills Park on Staten Island, New York The zoning system also encourages non-motorised transport and alternatives to the private car by requiring every new building to provide secure indoor bicycle parking. There are also new regulations on car-sharing pods. Amanda concluded by emphasising that consensus is key to the successful implementation of plans. In New York the Zoning Handbook allows citizens to understand zoning and buy into the plans. City Planners are encouraged to walk the streets to build the trust required to get local acceptance of zoning plans. Phil Harrison prefaced his presentation by making a few points about the value of visions and their role in changing a city’s growth and development path.
Page 11 of 20
Visions of the future in Joburg must redress the legacy of cheap energy and the inequitable socio-political system legacy: ”We must decarbonise the city and improve equity”, he said. These strategic goals can be achieved through:
A shift to alternative fuels (like biofuels and hydrogen cells) and new vehicle technologies
Pricing strategies and system efficiencies that reduce traffic congestion and emissions
Restructuring urban form to support public transport, reduce trip numbers and times, and get people out of their cars
The spatial form of the city is important because private car use is a significant driver of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa, and 80% of the variance in private car energy use is due to urban density. For example, in the South African context, if 10% of households shift to energy efficient lighting it will reduce energy consumption by 0.1%; and if 10% of low income houses have ceilings retrofitted another reduction of 0.1% can be achieved. But, if 10% of private car users shift to public transport for their daily commute, this will result in an 8% reduction in energy consumption.
Table showing relative modal split in 9 cities The most efficient urban form is compact, mixed land-use with an extensive public transport network that includes high intensity movement corridors and with attractive environments for walking and cycling. Energy efficiency is not the only reason for promoting compact cities: There are also social and economic sustainability reasons, including access, inclusion, health, social cohesion, vibrancy, economy, household savings, and air quality.
Page 12 of 20
Page 13 of 20
In conclusion, Philip raised the following points about moving towards a decarbonised and equitable city:
• We need to find ways to sustain political will and ensure the robustness of plans (the tension between quick wins that align with political cycles must be balanced against longer term sustainable city objectives).
• We need clear and strong incentives, considerably strengthened regulation, and agreed targets, to reshape and decarbonise the city.
• In particular, transit oriented development needs to be properly incentivised through area-based tax incremental financing and special rebates.
• We need to move beyond principles and strategies and get down to design. Design issues include transit oriented development in relation to taxi routes and services; using technology to expand the transit and spatial restructuring capacities of rail services; and paying serious attention to the pedestrian environment.
Discussion
A few themes were picked up in the audience discussions, and in the analysis presented by Nkosinathi Manzana, Walter Hook and Edgar Pieterse in the concluding panel discussion. These are:
a) The value of a consensus-based vision of sustainable cities of the future This point was raised by many commentators who responded to the inspirational value of the visions illustrated in the Our Cities Ourselves exhibition, and the presentations on New York experience. Nathi Manzana complimented ITDP for taking action that charts the way forward, and Walter Hook mentioned the power of demonstration projects in giving effect to vision. Edgar Pieterse concluded on this point by emphasising that we must connect vision with understanding in a clear way. He spoke about triangulating the competing development objectives of access, affordability and quality. Third-world urban form supports access and affordability at the expense of quality, while the housing subsidy system in SA is too focused on quality and affordability at the expense of access. In his opinion, the imaginary is often out of kilter with realistic options.
b) Consultations with citizens and stakeholders to achieve a common vision must be creative and meaningful Many commentators expressed the view that the vision of an ideal future city is not achievable if citizens do not buy into it; and it is not possible to get this buy in unless there is deep and meaningful consultation about the vision. Walter Hook highlighted the New York process of consultation on rezoning as a leading practice. The consultation process allowed community members to discuss rezoning proposals in quite a lot of detail with city planners, and real adjustments were made as a result of these discussions. Rehana Moosajee called for visioning processes to be treated as a social movement that gives effect to real community-led development.
Page 14 of 20
Edgar Pieterse expressed the view that development practitioners are at sea as to how to do public consultation in South Africa. He pointed out that in Brazil 25% of project budgets are set aside for public participation; and that the activation of development visions and concepts can and should be used by civil society and party branches. There are opportunities to build a sense of citizenship with a public focus. “We must develop the tools to make this possible”, he said, “and creative partnerships with artists and educators must be used to do this.”
c) Whether the compact city connected by public transport corridors is the most appropriate form The discussion about whether the compact city model is the most appropriate sustainable city form if vehicle technology advances can solve the problem of energy consumption and green-house gas emissions was raised by Graeme Gotz. This was sparked, in part, by the electric car that was exhibited by the SA National Energy Research Institute (SANERI). This demonstrated the concept of smaller electric and shared cars to get to and from public transport services in a future city. Philip Harrison cautioned, though, that there may be no technological fix for carbon neutral motorised transport. Other commentators questioned whether the target of moving 10% of private car commuters onto public transport is realistic. Nathi Manzana responded to this by citing Enrique Penaloza’s opinion that if all people are equal, then we should dedicate 100 times more road space to buses than to cars. Phil Harrison also cited the shift in transport mode that SA experienced between 1975 and 2009: The use of mini-bus taxis increased from 3% in 1975 to 41% in 2009 with bus use declining from 22% to 4% and train use from 20% to 8% over the same time.
d) It is possible to transform the city through fairly low-cost interventions Many speakers confirmed how inspiring New York’s ability to do a lot to transform public spaces with very few resources was. Joburg tends to do big construction work rather than more limited interventions. The lesson for Joburg is that we can do more with less. Spending efficiency goes beyond just stretching the Rand, there was also some discussion about the impact of public space upgrades. Johannesburg’s City Safety Programme’s crime maps have shown that there was almost no crime in Joburg during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The reasons are not completely clear, but the number of people out on the streets and using public transport is considered to be a key factor (eyes on the street). New York experience has shown that all space upgrades have to have management agreements, to ensure that the improvements are sustained. Space management partners are responsible for management and maintenance and they can raise revenue from events.
e) Key interventions that should be prioritised if we are to achieve the ideal city form Participants made many suggestions on how best to achieve the vision of the ideal sustainable city. Nathi Manzana pointed out that the South African Minister of Human Settlements has articulated a shift in focus from RDP housing to refurbishment of existing buildings for affordable housing. This will help to reduce the sprawl associated with RDP housing developments and support densification in transit nodes.
Page 15 of 20
Nathi also spoke about the value of a precinct development approach to achieving transit-oriented development, where local parking restrictions, construction of pedestrian links and strategies to maintain the unique identity and competitive advantage of each precinct can be employed. A key difference between New York and Joburg was emphasised by Lisa Seftel when she pointed out that though the provision of seating is a good idea to improve the pedestrian experience, in Joburg spaces are not really used for leisure time and they are deserted for large parts of the day. “We need to become more of a mixed use and 24 hour city.” she said. The use of zoning as a tool to shape city can be used more assertively by Joburg if we are to learn from New York. The complete neighbourhood idea is also important for Joburg. Edgar Pieterse made a final point about the importance of sequence and interconnection in city development, and how we need to be subtle about this. City development strategies should be both transit led and transit oriented if we are to achieve real restructuring of the city. We also need to understand who leads and who supports city development interventions. He concluded by saying that city restructuring should be inclusive of stakeholders like the private sector. “We should use the market to deliver the ideal outcomes, and get serious about inclusionary housing” he said.
Thanks and close Nopasika Lila, Director of the JDA, thanked all the speakers and delegates for their participation on behalf of the partner organisations. She thanked the international speakers, in particular, for taking so much time out of their schedule to visit South Africa and share their experience. She also thanked:
ITDP for funding the exhibition and arranging the itinerary of the international speakers;
SACN for the lunch and for sponsoring some speaker travel costs;
JDA for funding the sound and equipment and for coordinating the event;
The Market Theatre Laboratory for providing the venue;
The Rea Vaya team for coordinating a tour and media briefing, and for hosting the exhibition in Orlando East from 1 – 4 March;
Wits School of Planning and Architecture for hosting the exhibition on East Campus from 8 – 11 March; and
Museum Africa for hosting the exhibition from 15 – 20 March.
___end.___
Page 16 of 20
ANNEXURE A: Speaker Biographies
Sithole Mbanga is a local government specialist and CEO of the SA Cities Network. The SACN has sustainable public transport as a theme in their sustainable cities learning programme. See www.sacities.net/2009/pdfs/sustainable_public_transport_2009.pdf for the SACN’s overview report on this subject.
Rehana Moosajee (Cllr) is the Member of the Mayoral Committee responsible for Transportation at the City of Johannesburg. Under her leadership Johannesburg launched Rea Vaya on 30 August 2009: South Africa’s first Bus Rapid Transit system. Rehana qualified with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Wits University and apart from teaching has been involved in many community structures, where she has advocated community-led development.
Walter Hook (Dr) is an international authority in the field of sustainable transportation policy and practice. Since 1993, he has worked as the Executive Director for the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), a nonprofit agency that promotes environmentally sustainable and equitable transportation policies and projects in the developing world. Walter has worked on the design and implementation of numerous bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and is considered a leading expert on BRT design and policy. Walter has a PhD in Urban Planning from Columbia University.
Jonathan Manning, from Ikemeleng Architects, is a professional architect and construction project manager. He has worked on a number of urban design and public transport projects in Johannesburg and other South African cities.
Johan ‘Vissie’ Fourie is also a professional architect with one of the larger architectural practices in South Africa, Osmond Lange Architects and Planners. Jonathan and Johan have collaborated on the design of the Rea Vaya Bus stations and precincts in Johannesburg; and were commissioned to produce the vision for Orlando 2030 as part of Our Cities Ourselves.
Janette Sadik-Khan has served as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation since 2007. She is responsible for 6 000 miles of streets and highways, nearly 800 bridges, 1.3 million street signs, 300 000 streetlights and 12 000 traffic signals, as well as the Staten Island Ferry, carrying over 19 million passengers annually. Since her appointment, Janette has implemented a programme to improve safety, mobility and sustainability throughout New York City. This includes the promotion of public and non-motorised transport through the addition of 200 miles of bike lanes, car-free summer streets and weekend pedestrian walks. Janette holds a BA in Political Science from Occidental College, and a law degree from Columbia University School of Law.
Lisa Seftel is the Executive Director of the Department of Transportation in the City of Johannesburg. She oversees Johannesburg’s 9 000 kilometers of tarred roads and the Rea Vaya BRT system construction and operation. Lisa guides the City’s thinking on transport infrastructure and operations planning; regulates taxis and taxi ranking; secures sustainable funding for public transport; promotes the development of an integrated transport network that includes the Gautrain, MetroBus and minibus taxi services; oversees the Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA); and develops the City Deep freight network. Lisa was a political activist who became a public servant in the first democratic administration in 1994. She has an Honours degree in Sociology.
Page 17 of 20
Amanda Burden, an urban planner and civic activist, is Chair of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning. Since her appointment in 2002 she has spearheaded economic development initiatives with comprehensive urban design master plans designed to catalyse commercial and residential development throughout the city. Under her direction, the Department of City Planning has initiated rezoning plans that provide significant new housing opportunities. In 2005, Pratt Institute award ed Ms. Burden an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration.
Phillip Harrison (Prof) is the Chair in Development Planning and Modelling at the University of the Witwatersrand. He re-joined Wits University in 2009, after serving as Executive Director: Development Planning and Urban Management in the City of Johannesburg. His research interests relate primarily to urban change and governance systems of urban planning, and the future of cities. Phillip is also a member of South Africa's National Planning Commission, the advisory body responsible for developing a long term vision and strategic plan for South Africa.
Edgar Pieterse (Prof) is the Director of the African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town. His published work includes City Futures: Confronting the Crisis of Urban Development. He is a founder member of Isandla Institute, serves on the Boards of the Sustainability Institute and the Cape Town Partnership, and the Council of the University of the Western Cape. Edgar holds a PhD from London School of Economics.
Nathi Manzana is a civil engineer, and Chief Operating Officer at the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA). He has been responsible for managing capital works projects valued at approximately R1 billion per year, including the construction of the dedicated bus ways and bus stations that make up the Rea Vaya BRT service in Johannesburg, and area-based developments in the inner city, Soweto, Orange Farm and Diepsloot.
Nopasika Lila serves as a non-executive Director of the Johannesburg Development Agency and chairs its Audit Committee. She is a Chartered Accountant and Chief Financial Officer of the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund. She also serves as a member of the Audit Committee of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Education. Her interests cover finances, corporate governance, management, retirement industry, strategic issues and training and development. Nopasika speaks and writes Mandarin, having earned a qualification in Taipei, Taiwan in 2008
Page 18 of 20
ANNEXURE B: Partner information
ITDP works with cities worldwide to bring about transport solutions that cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of urban life. Cities throughout the world, primarily in developing countries, engage ITDP to provide technical advice on improving their transport systems. ITDP uses its know-how to influence policy and raise awareness globally of the role sustainable transport plays in tackling green house gas emissions, poverty and social inequality. This combination of pragmatic delivery with influencing policy and public attitudes defines our approach. Most recently, ITDP has been instrumental in designing and building the best bus rapid transit systems in the world. ITDP has been working in South Africa for over 14 years. ITDP has been instrumental in bringing bicycles and bicycle businesses to townships and has provided technical support for the implementation of Johannesburg and Cape Town’s BRT projects. ITDP has offices in Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States; employs more than 60 staff members; and supplements this team with leading architects, urban planners, transport experts, developers, and financiers.
The SA Cities Network (SACN) is a network organisation that was established by the Minister responsible for local government in collaboration with the mayors of the country’s nine largest cities and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in 2002. Positioned as an intergovernmental programme, the SACN aims to further urban progress and prosperity within South African cities and urban centres. As a knowledge-sharing custodian, SACN’s mandate is to promote good governance and management; analyse strategic challenges particularly in the context of global economic integration and national development challenges; collect, collate, analyse, assess, disseminate and apply large city government experience across the South African urban landscape; and promote learning partnerships between the spheres of Government. SACN’s founding member cities are: Buffalo City (East London); City Of Cape Town; Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (East Rand); City of eThekwini (Durban); City of Johannesburg; Mangaung Municipality (Bloemfontein); Msunduzi Municipality (Pietermaritzburg); Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (Port Elizabeth); and City Of Tshwane (Pretoria)
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is an agency of the City of Johannesburg which undertakes area-based based development initiatives throughout Johannesburg . The JDA co-ordinates and manages capital investment projects involving both public and private sector stakeholders in order to:
1. Promote economic growth through the development of efficient business environments in defined geographic areas;
2. Regenerate decaying areas of the city to grow the economy of the city and improve the quality of life of its residents; and
3. Promote productive partnerships and cooperation between stakeholders. JDA implemented the Rea Vaya BRT infrastructure construction project on behalf of the Department of Transportation; and is working with DPUM and Transportation to develop transit nodes as a medium term priority.
Page 19 of 20
ANNEX C: Attendance list
Page 20 of 20
