Context - SG 5

The information in this section forms the context within which the longer term strategy for Goal 5 was formulated.

INNOVATION

Innovation is synonymous with newness. It has to do with observing, noticing, reading the weak signals to create something new or to offer something that has never been used in a given context before. Often, being innovative has to do with anticipating change by noticing how people are living their lives.

There are two reasons why innovation is important:

• The first is to expand and improve impact across the municipal area. Innovating around the way the Municipality delivers services can enable the organisation to serve more people, with less money, less time, and better quality.

• The second reason is to avoid becoming irrelevant or out of touch with the Municipality’s constituents. Fail to pick up on the weak signals, or to observe the changes in human life and human interaction in the area, and you will lose relevance and, therefore, support from citizens.

Innovation can help to:

• offer better service delivery

• reduce costs

• build relationships with communities

• establish new partnerships and relationships

Information and data must be shared to enable innovation within our organisation, our communities and the local economy.

CONNECTIVITY

Connectivity is community building. It guides the better use technology to shape policy, make informed decisions, and deliver quality public services. It changes the way we engage with our community – using existing and new platforms to engage with residents and businesses. Local government is in the business of making connections. Whether it is connecting commuters to workplaces, older adults to recreation centres, students to campuses, or families to parks, it is a municipality’s job to bring residents together and bring out the best in people.

What is however needed is a new mindset, a new set of glasses, a new way of looking at things.

It is necessary for Swartland Municipality to commit to partnerships and cooperation between governments, the private sector and the community to lead change. The Swartland is part of a wider national and global community, and relationships with other South African and international towns and organisations will be mutually beneficial.

The Swartland must become a global role-player; home to globally oriented people, jobs and businesses and sustained investment in infrastructure and a great living environment. The Swartland must be an active participant in global knowledge exchange.

Global orientation and connection will lead to local opportunities and benefits. 

DIGITAL TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY

The adoption of digital tools and technologies can help the Municipality to streamline its operations, improve service delivery, and enhance communication with citizens.

For municipalities, information technology (IT) plays an important role. At every turn, municipalities must think outside the box about making things work better. An understanding and appreciation for how technology can achieve this must be in a municipality’s corporate DNA, detailed and committed to in strategic plans.

Modern technology is needed for the effective delivery of local services, especially as employees and workplaces rely on mobile technology to help them do their jobs.  IT infrastructure is essential for how local services connect and operate. Increased use of digital technology is needed to support business and the economy.

Digital tools and technologies can help the Municipality to make public data available to citizens, businesses, and other organizations. This can promote transparency, collaboration, and innovation. 

SMART CITY CONCEPT

Municipalities can promote the Smart City concept that uses data to optimize city services, reduce energy consumption, and improve public safety.

A smart city is a concept that refers to the integration of technology, data, and innovation to improve the quality of life for its residents and the sustainability of its urban environment. The goal of a smart city is to create a more efficient, connected, and liveable city by leveraging advancements in information and communication technology (ICT).

In a smart city, various urban systems, including transportation, energy, waste management, and public safety, are integrated and optimized to enhance their performance and reduce their environmental impact. For instance, a smart transportation system may utilize real-time data to manage traffic flow, optimize public transportation routes, and reduce congestion. A smart energy system may leverage renewable energy sources to power city infrastructure and optimize energy use in buildings.

The implementation of smart city technologies also involves citizen engagement and participation to ensure that the needs and priorities of the community are addressed. This may include initiatives such as open data portals, citizen feedback platforms, and community-based innovation programs.

Overall, the concept of a smart city aims to create a more sustainable, efficient, and liveable urban environment that can better meet the needs of its residents and businesses.

Term “smart” is generally associated with a range of technological and digital concepts and interventions, especially ICT. There also seems to be a particular focus on 4IR (4th Industrial Revolution) technologies. 

However, in addition to this technology-intensive interpretation, smart could also mean “intelligent”, or “knowledge-intensive”.

The understanding of the term “technology” could be expanded to also include innovative approaches, techniques and processes, as well as non-conventional interventions and scientific innovation. 

Word “city” has multiple meanings in the smart city conversation. It is a catch-all phrase that includes various types of settlements, or parts of settlements. It could refer to any of the following:

• Cities, towns and villages of any size, including those in rural locations.

• Municipalities (metropolitan, district, local).

• A custom-built greenfield development (“city”) which may or may not be linked to an existing city.

• Large new precinct developments linked to an existing city (e.g. business parks).

• Upgrading or retrofitting aspects (e.g. transportation or connectivity) or parts (e.g. an educational precinct) of an existing city or town.

• New residential, commercial or mixed-use developments, such as privately developed gated communities.