The Johannesburg Mayor, Geoffrey Makhubo, has announced the formal adoption of the provincial government’s plan, first mooted in 2007, to develop a smart city in the Lanseria district. It will feature rainwater harvesting and solar energy, as well as planning focused on limiting the need to commute using cars.
Makhubo explained in an article that the plan was not just an opportunity to evolve Johannesburg as a smart city, but “an absolute necessity for this city to retain its status as the economic hub that supports and determines the growth trajectory of South Africa”.
He continued that the concept of a high-tech and integrated city should not be limited to the Lanseria development, and that the city should consider building an additional smart city in the Deep South. This would fit into a greater long-term plan to link all these nodes together, creating a highly-integrated mega-city, according to the article.
“The city of tomorrow is one where there are new landmarks for opportunity. It is a place where all homes are digitally connected and where Joburg is a safe city for all its residents. Let us work together to make this a reality,” said the Mayor.
