SA CITIES NETWORK: READIES FOR THE 2023 URBAN FESTIVAL

About South African Cities Network

The South African Cities Network (SACN) is an established network of South African cities and partners that encourages the exchange of information, experience and best practices on urban development and city management. Since 2002 the SACN's mandate has been to:

• Promote good governance and management in South African cities;

• Analyse strategic challenges facing South African cities;

• Collect, collate, analyse, assess, disseminate, and apply the experience of large city government in a South African context;

• Encourage shared learning partnerships among all of society and spheres of government to enhance good governance of South African cities.

Cities have been facing a range of crises for more than a decade, from economic downturns to droughts caused by climate change, to the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even social unrest leading to looting and destruction. Unfortunately, these will not be the last challenges that cities will encounter.

Cities play a vital role in people's lives by providing essential services and influencing local economic development, but many cities are struggling with systemic problems and are in a vulnerable state, making them ill-prepared for unexpected shocks.

The pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of many municipalities. To build resilience, it is crucial to address the underlying systemic and structural problems of local government. However, these issues are complex and entrenched, requiring an all-of-society approach to find sustainable solutions.

Urban Festival 2023

In line with the theme of World Habitat Day 2023, the South African Cities Network's Urban Festival 2023 will focus on resilient urban economies and cities as drivers of growth and recovery. The festival taking place on 30 - 31 October in Durban will explore how data can enable resilience and actions for growth and recover in "The Working City."

During the first day, we'll take a closer look at how municipalities operate by examining their strengths, and weaknesses, and exploring ways to increase their resilience. We'll also go over the various sources of data available to municipalities, which they can use to gain valuable insights and improve their operations. The day's focus will be on internal challenges that can affect institutions, such as political instability, financial constraints, coalition governments, slow economic growth, and other similar factors.

On the second day, we'll emphasize the significance of data-driven decision-making, which is tailored to address the unique challenges faced by each city.

For growth and recovery, practitioners require customized solutions that are specific to their location, which is only possible through accurate and up-to-date data. We'll showcase how different sectors are utilizing data and introduce innovative data platforms that are available to cities.

Experts and practitioners from various sectors, including government, private sector, and civil society, will gather for the two-day festival to discuss a wide range of topics related to city governance, finance, sustainability, resilience,

inclusion, and innovation. These discussions will take on different formats such as keynote speeches, collaborative panel discussions, masterclasses where speakers will share their real-world experiences in addressing complex urban challenges, and visual exhibits. The goal is to bring together diverse voices and engage in meaningful conversations about important issues.

SACN and its partners invite civil society, organizations, designers, planners, storytellers, civil servants, and city-dwellers to join the conversation. The goal is to preserve stories, research, and voices to foster greater understanding and better solutions.

For more information visit : www.sacities.net/sa-urban-conference/

For more information about the Urban Festival 2023, press and interview requests, please contact:

Media Contact: LEBOGANG LECHUBA lebogang@sacities.net

Sponsorships and Partnership Queries: PHOLISA MAGQIBELO pholisa@sacities.net

Visit our website for more information at https://sacities.net/