Seminar Series - The 2011 State of South African Cities Report: Towards Resilient Cities  

Ivan Turok (Professor, Human Sciences Research Council)

The seminar will consider the progress made by democratic metropolitan government on its 10^th anniversary, drawing heavily on the 2011 State of SA Cities Report , of which Ivan Turok was the principal author.  

The concept of resilience lends coherence to the analysis and is examined from five perspectives: economic, spatial, environmental, governance and financial. Compared to a decade ago, socio-economic conditions in SA cities are better in many respects, and they are making an important contribution to all-round national development. However, the state has failed to plan and manage the process of urbanisation effectively, resulting in an increase in the number and proportion of households living in informal dwellings without essential services and situated on the outskirts of cities far from jobs and other opportunities. The report argues that the developmental vision of metro government needs to be refreshed, that public trust needs to be rebuilt, and more serious efforts need to be made to reshape the distorted built form of cities.

http://www.sacities.net/what/strategy/report/607-towards-resilient-cities

For further details of this Seminar (including final confirmation) please contact Mark Livingston on +44 (0)141 330 6162.

After the Seminar, refreshments will be served in Coffee Area of 25 Bute Gardens.