Johannesburg, also known as Jozi, Joburg and Egoli), is the largest city in South Africa and is one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital and largest city in Gauteng, which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court. The city is located in the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills and is the centre of large-scale gold and diamond trade.

The metropolis is an alpha global city as listed by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. In 2011, the population of the city of Johannesburg was 4,434,827, making it the most populous city in South Africa. In the same year, the population of Johannesburg's urban agglomeration was put at 7,860,781. The land area of the municipal city (1,645 km2 (635 sq mi)) is large in comparison with those of other major cities, resulting in a moderate population density of 2,364/km2 (6,120/sq mi).

The city was established in 1886 following the discovery of gold on what had been a farm. The city is commonly interpreted as the modern day El Dorado due to the extremely large gold deposit found along the Witwatersrand. The name is attributed to one or all of three men involved in the establishment of the city. In ten years, the population was 100,000 inhabitants.

A separate city from the late 1970s until the 1990s, Soweto is now part of Johannesburg. Originally an acronym for "South-Western Townships", Soweto originated as a collection of settlements on the outskirts of Johannesburg, populated mostly by native African workers from the gold mining industry. Soweto, although eventually incorporated into Johannesburg, had been separated as a residential area for Blacks, who were not permitted to live in Johannesburg proper. Lenasia is predominantly populated by English-speaking South Africans of Indian descent. These areas were designated as non-white areas in accordance with the segregationist policies of the South African government known as Apartheid.

Organisation reference

University of Johannesburg

Background

Established in 2005, with a student population of over 50,000 students (of which more than 3000 are international students from 80 countries), it is one of the largest contact universities in South Africa (SA) from the 26 public universities that make up the higher education system. It Is ranked 7th amongst Africa’s Universities, 5th in South Africa, and ranked within the top 2.3% of universities in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2017/18).

The university has 7 Faculties: Education, Law, Humanities, Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, Health Sciences, Science, and Engineering and the Built Environment. On 1 July 2017, the Faculties of Economic and Financial Sciences and Management merged to form the College of Business and Economics, housing the newly established Johannesburg Business School. The University has four campuses, namely the Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus; the Auckland Park Kingsway Campus; the Doornfontein Campus; and the Soweto Campus.

The vision of the UJ is to be "an international University of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future". The mission can be described as follows: "inspiring its community to transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collaborative pursuit of knowledge". These are underpinned by four values, namely: imagination, conversation, regeneration and ethical foundation. The six strategic objectives provide a focused means for realising the Vision, Mission and Values of the University as set out above. They further represent a re-working of the original UJ Strategic Thrusts 2020 in the context of a wider positioning of the University as "The Pan-African" Centre for Critical Intellectual Inquiry, with the primary goal of achieving global excellence and stature. 

The six strategic objectives are:

  1. Excellence in Research and Innovation.
  2. Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
  3. An International Profile for Global Excellence and Stature.
  4. Enriching Student-Friendly Learning and Living Experience.
  5. Active National and Global Reputation Management, and
  6. Fitness for Global Excellence and Stature (GES). 

The university has 7 Faculties: Education, Law, Humanities, Fine Arts, Design and Architecture, Health Sciences, Science, and Engineering and the Built Environment. On 1 July 2017, the Faculties of Economic and Financial Sciences and Management merged to form the College of Business and Economics, housing the newly established Johannesburg Business School. The University has four campuses, namely the Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus; the Auckland Park Kingsway Campus; the Doornfontein Campus; and the Soweto Campus.

Social context

Johannesburg is a world leader on the African continent and one of the 50 largest cities in the world, and the largest in South Africa, with a population of 4.4 million people with close to 3000 people per square kilometre. A successful city is defined by its ability to adequately align its priorities to development needs, and its capacity to make strategic planning and policy decisions that place its people at the centre. The City of Johannesburg has followed a partnership approach – embracing multiple partnerships – both area based, and task driven to balance opportunity and demand, by enabling change through smart and inclusive growth.

The city is however faced with the dichotomy of a developed city and feeder townships in surrounding areas which follow the same historical divides of the apartheid era in South Africa. In South Africa, townships are suburbs or city of predominantly black occupation, formerly officially designated for black occupation by apartheid legislation. The term “township” refers to old, new, formal and informal human settlements that are characterised by high levels of poverty, unemployment and low incomes as well as distance from the main centres of economic activities. Johannesburg is estimated to have 157 informal settlement or township areas. These areas are characterised by extreme poverty and a lack of access to a range of basic services.

The country has a young population, with those aged between 15-24 comprising 20% while 77% of the population of over 13.4 million is 35 years old and below. Harare is a metropolitan and multicultural City. It is therefore not easy to develop strategies that embrace the different cultures of the residents. While the official language is English and the predominant indigenous languages are Shona and Ndebele, there are at least 13 other indigenous languages that are recognised across the country.

Economic context

About half of South Africa’s urban population lives in townships and informal settlements, accounting for 38% of working-age citizens. South Africa’s townships have always been a hive for entrepreneurial activity, but the main challenge has been unlocking the potential in order to generate broader economic benefits. While townships are places of great wealth, very little of it is generated within the township or stays in the economy. Township enterprises are diverse, with a high rate of informality and are consider survivalist. Whilst they are mostly necessity micro-enterprises, characterised by poverty and low-incomes, there are many that were born out of opportunity. Both necessity and opportunity enterprises have produced successful black entrepreneurs who have ‘graduated’ from exclusively serving the township economy, and are serving new markets.

The term ‘Township economy’ refers to enterprises and markets based in the townships. These are enterprises operated by township entrepreneurs to meet primarily the needs of township communities and therefore can be understood a ‘township enterprises’ as distinguished from those operated by entrepreneurs outside the townships. Township enterprises have different legal forms - for-profit and not-for profit enterprises registered under the Companies Act and for cooperative enterprises registered under the Cooperatives Act. Township enterprises are diverse, with high rate of informality and provide a range of goods and services to meet the needs of township communities and beyond. Whilst township enterprises are mostly necessity micro in nature, characterised by poverty and low-incomes, there are many that were born out of opportunity. Both necessity and opportunity enterprises have produced successful black entrepreneurs who have ‘graduated’ from exclusively serving the township economy or trace their roots in the township economy.

Meeting the social and economic needs of township communities, based on co-operation and solidarity, has been one of the defining features of township enterprises. It is believed that township enterprises have a distinct and vital role to play in helping to create a vibrant socially inclusive, labour-absorbing and growing economy. Supporting the vision of a vibrant and sustainable township enterprises as part of building an inclusive, labour absorbing and growing economy, local and provincial government in partnership with the University of Johannesburg and big business partners is developing a youth employment strategy focused on creating opportunities in local communities, specifically in the township areas. Successful township enterprises can play an important role in helping to contribute to radical transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation of the Johannesburg City Region economy by transforming townships into sites for productive activities, contributing to socially inclusive wealth creation and helping to foster sustainable livelihoods through job creation, social cohesion and active citizenship.

Social issues

Johannesburg is a divided city: the poor mostly live in the southern suburbs or on the peripheries of the far north, and the middle class live largely in the suburbs of the central and north. It is estimated that more than 25% of the city’s population lives in abject poverty in informal settlements that lack proper infrastructure, roads, electricity, or any other kind of direct municipal service. Another 40% live in inadequate housing with insufficient municipal housing and infrastructure.

South Africa remains a dual economy with one of the highest inequality rates in the world, perpetuating both inequality and exclusion. In South Africa, over half of the population (55%) live below the country’s upper poverty line of R992 (£52) per person per month. If we consider the national average household size of four, this translates to a R 3 968 household monthly income – which is just about the national minimum wage (R3 500).

The percentage of the population whose hunger is induced by poverty rose from 21.4% in 2011 to 25.2% in 2015. This can be attributed to high unemployment levels that contribute to high inequality levels evident in the City’s Gini coefficient of 0.65 in 2013. Existing studies on food security in the city indicate that the levels of food insecurity among the poor neighbourhoods are as high as 42%. Food prices in Johannesburg are also a major factor affecting poor households’ food security. Factors further hampering access to affordable nutrition for many residents includes an underdeveloped public transport system, too few local markets and a high proportion of income spent on the food bill. Finally, diseases of lifestyle are the fastest growing cause of death among both poor and middle class. This is not just about the availability of healthy food but about the choices people make.

Johannesburg ranks among the highest in the world in terms of income inequality. Inequality is also demonstrated through lack of access to natural resources; a two-tiered educational system; a dual health system; and other socio-economic dimensions. In the City, high unemployment rates contribute to social tension and anguish, especially among the youth. The youth unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 55.90 percent in the second quarter of 2017, emphasising the need to unlock youth employment strategies and to expand the township economy.

The social security system failed to provide income security for the majority of the unemployed, and thus the safety net is not all encompassing, leaving unemployed youth vulnerable. Economic policies are unable to resolve the issue that there are more work seekers than jobs. In failing to address structural unemployment, in spite of the democratic government’s pro-poor policies, its Achilles heel is its lack of vision and direction in comprehensively tackling poverty and inequality as a consequence of unemployment.

Economic issues

Over the last 20 years, there has been a range of government support programmes aimed at micro, small and medium enterprises and co-operatives. These support measures are wide-ranging, combining both financial and non-financial support. In their variety, they aim to address a number of barriers common to all micro, small, and medium enterprises and cooperatives. These barriers include but not limited to access to capital and financial exclusion, access to operating infrastructure, access to markets, skills development, and monopoly power, to name but a few.

There are specific barriers that are more pronounced in township enterprises. These specific barriers are as follows:

  • Lack of entrepreneurial and productive activity;
  • Poor understanding of the abilities and value of township enterprises;
  • Little hard evidence to demonstrate the impact and value-add of township enterprises;
  • Limited account taken of the particular characteristics and needs of township enterprises within enabling and supportive environment; and
  • Complexity and lack of coherence within township economy sectors combined with widely varying skills and knowledge bases.

About half of South Africa’s urban population lives in townships and informal settlements, accounting for 38% of working-age citizens. South Africa’s townships have always been a hive for entrepreneurial activity, but the main challenge has been unlocking the potential in order to generate broader economic benefits. While townships are places of great wealth, very little of it is generated within the township or stays in the economy. Township enterprises are diverse, with a high rate of informality and are consider survivalist. Whilst they are mostly necessity micro-enterprises, characterised by poverty and low-incomes, there are many that were born out of opportunity. Both necessity and opportunity enterprises have produced successful black entrepreneurs who have ‘graduated’ from exclusively serving the township economy and are serving new markets.

Main priorities of HEI in the region

With a focus on the township economy as a means to support youth employment and sustainable development of the local township economy, the University of Johannesburg employ a transformative research paradigm which supports data driven social innovation which supports the revitalisation of the township economy, food resilience strategies and appropriate technology innovation.

Johannesburg has identified a Transformation Zone which includes areas where investment is prioritised for future urban intensification and growth, as they have the capacity to trigger positive effects on a metropolitan scale. If we eliminate the complexity of socio-economic development and combined it with a mandate for sustainable development in a smart city context, cities are faced with a problem of scale. Strategies for sustainable, smart development must work at scale to make a global impact. Johannesburg is building on a model that generates community wealth to resource sustainable development initiatives to ensure that solutions are self-sustaining, works at scale and can affect global change.

Addressing local issues

The Transformation Zone is targeted to strengthening the metropolitan core, improving sustainability and quality of life in deprivation areas and enhancing the public environment. To support the realisation of a sustainable, clean, safe and inclusive inner city, the City’s integrated development plan is focused on efficient and sustainable water, sanitation, electricity and waste services in the inner city; developing an integrated, efficient transportation system in the inner city that supports a sustainable, green economy, in a liveable and walkable public environment. The city strives to provide an effective safety net for the inner-city poor, focusing on housing and education and food resilience. The inner-city of Johannesburg is a beacon of diversity with a rich history and heritage that is protected and celebrated in the cultural capital of South Africa.

The cities priority programs include:

  • Upgrading of outdated infrastructure
  • Saving resources and ensuring food resilience
  • Establishing complete streets that are safe, comfortable, and convenient for travel by automobile, foot, bicycle, and transit, regardless of age and ability
  • Integrated public space management and re-imagining public spaces
  • Increasing law enforcement and crime prevention
  • Elimination of bad buildings

A key focus of initiatives at the University of Johannesburg’s is to enable these priority programs by supporting and expanding the urban farming movement in the City, with a focus on inner city and township areas. The City of Johannesburg Food Resilience Task Team and the Johannesburg Development Agency are establishing rooftop vegetable gardens to ensure food security for vulnerable people in the inner city, promote entrepreneurship and community wealth. The city has several productive urban and rooftop gardens and are providing space, funding and support for rooftop gardens in the inner city. The program looks at establishing new value chains and business models in the urban food system, supported by smart, green logistic services in a circular, sharing economy. Infrastructure investment in Agrihubs in each region of the city also supports the Food Resilience mandate of the city, and is an integral link to activating a new, local food system.

The City is leveraging its network of civic, academic, public and private-sector partners to support food resilience and job creation by growing a network of urban farms to increase the scale of rooftop and urban farming in the City. The urban farming initiatives are centred on community participatory design strategies, activating unemployed youth from the local community as change agents and data collectors, driving social innovation through active citizenship and inclusive transformation.

A pilot mapping existing urban farming initiatives and retail networks to enable opportunities to crowdsource locally produced food is underway. The project supports and links urban farmers through an online market to retail and hospitality industry partners and a smart logistics system. The logistics of food and waste management in the inner city is enabled by an integrated electric bike network. Relying on the latest technological advances in food production, processing, water and energy savings and waste management the pilot integrates strategies to support traditional organic food gardens and large vertical farms. An abandoned building in the inner city will be transformed in a vertical farm to scale the production of food and to support food resilience in the inner-city precinct. Business incubation and skills development models will be tested to further develop social franchises to replicate and scale these initiative in the city.

Attachment(s)

Location

Johannesburg
South Africa