The effective use of smart city elements will enable true public healthcare by keeping the population informed of critical updates.
Rapid urbanisation, primarily due to economic migration in cities, such as Johannesburg, has placed additional strains on scarce resources, including healthcare services.
Johannesburg, in particular, struggles to meet demands for emergency medical care, especially when emergency departments have reached critical capacity and ambulances have to be diverted to nearby hospitals.
African cities are growing at an incredible pace. With this growth comes a mix of opportunity and challenge. How do we build cities that are not only smart but also fair, inclusive and resilient?
A smart city uses digital tools such as sensors, data networks and connected devices to run services more efficiently and respond to problems in real time. From traffic and electricity to public safety and waste removal, smart technologies aim to make life smoother, greener and more connected.
Read more: ZA: Smart cities start with people, not technology: lessons from Westbury, Johannesburg
Tshwane residents can now skip the queues and report service issues in real time with the city’s new mobile app. From logging faults to paying bills, the Tshwane App puts local government in your pocket.
The metro has launched a mobile app designed to simplify service delivery reporting for residents.
This innovative platform allows users to log service requests, track request progress, and receive real-time updates – all from their smartphones.
Read more: ZA: Gauteng: Tshwane: Mobile app to bring service delivery closer to residents
- Gauteng has said that it will use the R1.5 billion budget it received for eGovernment to roll out new digital technologies across the province.
- These include new internet locations, crime prevention tech, and for ICT skills development.
- The MEC for eGovernment said that the budget is a “positive step in the right direction.”
The Gauteng Department of eGovernment, which oversees the province’s digital infrastructure and electronic services, has received a budget of over R1.5 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year.
Read more: ZA: Gauteng digital services get R1.5 billion for “upgrades”
The City of Johannesburg (COJ) has admitted to multiple setbacks in rolling out its smart city ambitions – citing issues such as “fragmented initiatives and insufficient governance structures”.
Now, with its 2025/26 draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the municipality says it will renew its strategic focus on digitaltransformation and infrastructure.
In the draft IDP, which was made available for public comment on Monday, the city lists a range of challenges that have hindered progress. These include ineffective governance structures, poor planning, an outdated ICT environment, and no mayoral agreement for implementation plans. The document also notes the city has not been able to keep “abreast of new technologies”.
Read more: ZA: Joburg to ramp up smart city plans after stalled rollout