African cities are growing rapidly and are destined to become more than just economic centers. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
Cities are complex social systems that attract and repel like magnets. For some citizens, the idea of a city conjures up images of bright lights, sophistication, excitement, and opportunity. For others, cities are dystopian, ruthless, and dangerous places where social evils are rampant and threats to life and limb are rife. Regardless of the general perception of cities, for millions of Africans, cities are what we call home. The challenge is how to make cities more livable. It protects us, nurtures us, supports us, and is also the place where our dreams are born.
African cities are expanding rapidly. Cairo, Addis Ababa, Kigali and Cape Town are just some of the continent’s cities that have shown exponential spatial, economic and demographic growth. These are mainly due to rural-to-urban migration, interurban migration, and high birth rates.
According to the World Bank’s latest Africa Report (2024), Africa will have the fastest growing working-age population of all regions over the next 30 years, with a net increase of 740 million people by 2050. It is expected that Already, the World Bank predicts that the African continent’s population will increase to one-fifth of the world’s population by 2025, and that by 2050 more than 60% of the population will live in cities.
Rapid population growth has a major impact on cities. This makes cities resource-intensive, resulting in consumption of approximately 60% to 80% of the world’s energy, thereby emitting huge amounts of greenhouse gases. But on the plus side, cities around the world generate more than 80% of the GDP of the countries in which they are located, and are often major hubs of socio-economic and technological development.
But cities must be more than just economic centers. It should also be a space that fosters a temporal lifestyle.
Imagine a city that incorporates parks, green areas and public gardens into its layout to improve physical and mental health, reduce urban heat and support biodiversity. Or imagine a city whose layout enriches urban life, fosters cultural engagement, and makes the city itself vibrant through the promotion of the arts. There could be an art walkway that takes pedestrians to art installations and murals around the city. These can preserve heritage, attract visitors, foster aesthetic appreciation and encourage local exploration.
But rapid urban growth comes at a cost. They experience “boom-bust” phenomena. A “boom” occurs when we benefit from the development of available skills and enterprises, and a “bust” occurs when population density overwhelms and puts pressure on infrastructure and resources such as water, housing, and energy. In this context, the challenge for urban planners and local government officials is how to take advantage of the ‘boom’ and how to plan for and mitigate the ‘bust’.
Whether in “boom” or “bust” times, cities are integral to the geopolitical structure of a country. And fast-growing cities are organic. They are formed around citizens, and in turn citizens form cities. But important questions remain: Are African cities livable and how should they transform to become livable? These are complex questions that can provoke multiple and sometimes very diverse responses.
A viable starting point is that a livable city must be a “humanized” city. It must be a space where people feel valued, there is a sense of belonging and aspirations are nurtured. This must therefore include a balanced integration of social, economic and environmental factors to create places where people can enjoy life, feel safe and thrive.
On a practical level, a rehumanized city, or a citizen-centered city, must be one where city government and management serve the best interests of its residents. There must be a culture of excellence where basic services and citizen-friendly amenities are prioritized. These include safe recreation and green spaces that foster social interaction, infrastructure that fosters economic opportunity, and access to health care facilities. To support these efforts, national and local governments need to prioritize the “baso pele” (people first) principle and proactively address issues such as corruption, incompetence, and crime. These exacerbate dysfunction and, in some cases, promote “crisis shock” such as anxiety, destructive behavior, and substance abuse.
A livable city is not a bridge too far. It depends on political will, capable local governments, and a willingness to leverage innovative technology. There are accessible solutions to make cities more livable. Rapid advances in digital technology and artificial intelligence provide effective ways to manage cities and can be utilized to manage boom and bust phenomena. Enabling technologies include:
Internet of Things, digital connectivity or “smart” cities. Camera technology where sensors support multiple resource management functions to ensure greater safety on the road. An aerotropolis (airport city) that leverages the value of aviation, tourism and multi-mobility solutions and green initiatives that support sustainability.
One example of an environmentally friendly initiative that can promote food security is the world’s first underground farm, located 33 meters underground in London, inside an abandoned air raid shelter. This is a collaboration between private investors and the University of Cambridge (Growing Underground) to revolutionize urban agriculture.
The Omega project (Marine Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae) in the United States is a “sustainable future” response to increasing wastewater due to urban growth. This complex process uses wastewater to grow algae, which can then be harvested for biofuel. These are two projects that can be implemented in South African cities.
Creating livable cities, cities with soul is important for the health of the nation. But achieving this is a shared responsibility of governments and the citizens who make up cities. Citizens are not abdicated from their role, but must actively participate in making their cities a better place to live. Similar to Kigali’s clean city image and Gaborone’s safety record, at the micro level, people need to actively participate in addressing crime, dirt, and community-based problems.
If all city dwellers fully fulfill their responsibilities, livability will no longer be an imaginary concept but a living reality.
Rudy Kimmy is interim director of the African Aviation Institute at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Justin Pringle is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Civil Engineering and Head of Purpose-Driven Engineering at UKZN. They write in their own personal capacity.
