Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa February/ March 2020 | Page 21

S
mart cities are considered to be a successful integration
between infrastructure and technology with the
intention of enhancing and improving the quality of
life for the individuals who live in an urban environment.
The main function of a smart city is to use modern digital
intelligence that shares information with the public
and communicates with other technology to increase
operational efficiency of a city, improving both the quality
of government services and the way their citizens live day
to day.
The aim is to fuel economic growth while improving the
quality of life for its citizens. The characteristics within a smart city
would come down to technology-based infrastructure. It would
address environmental initiatives, the public transport system,
good urban planning and efficient utilization of resources.
The question on everyone’s mind is, how can data from the
public transport, air quality meters and energy production be
effectively integrated and used?
As modern electronics and the Internet of Things begin
to merge, governments and service providers are able to
streamline and refine their processes, allowing consumers to
experience an exceptional digital experience which is what
consumers of today are after. Fuss-free and fast.
The internet of things
The Internet of Things refers to how technology interacts
with each other. It’s essentially a system that uses processors
and communication hardware to collect and send data they
acquire from their environments. This system helps people live
and work smarter and have more control over their lives. Most
of these devices don’t require human intervention to function
although they allow people to interact with these devices,
whether it’s giving instructions or accessing data.
IoT can positively impact every industry from healthcare and
finance to retail and manufacturing. It assists people in reducing
waste and energy consumption and predict growth patterns. The
Internet of Things (with its development and implementation) is
what’s needed to create a successful Smart City.
Africa at a glance
Looking at Africa on a larger scale, Nairobi and Cape Town
are among the highest-ranking on the smart city front.
Nairobi, home to three million people, won the title of the
Most Intelligent City in Africa two years in a row. Cape Town is
blossoming as it continually implements thoughtful planning
to attract business and improve the lives of its citizens.
The United Nations projects that Africa will see up to 16% rise
in its urban population by 2050 and the number of people living
in African cities will increase to an estimated 56% as the realm
of digital technology continues to develop and infiltrate South
African infrastructure. It’s predicted that while Cairo, Kinshasa
and Lagos are considered to be established megacities, three
more are expected to emerge by 2030, being Dar es Salaam
(Tanzania), Johannesburg (South Africa), and Luanda (Angola).
The process of urbanisation should be considered alongside
other significant economic and social changes. It’s important
that while change and adaptation is the way forward, hasty and
un-thought out growth threatens sustainable development
distributes the benefits of city-living unevenly. Which will result
in creating more inequality, rather than eradicating it.
Is South Africa thinking smart?
Johannesburg’s transformations are in line with other major cities
throughout the globe including Dubai, London and Los Angeles.
Steyn City, a luxury private estate situated is already home to over
one-thousand residents. The entire estate covers 900 hectares,
located between Lanseria and Fourways in Johannesburg. This
city is already on its way to becoming one of the leading smart
cities in zxAfrica, being entirely self-sufficient with the city center
having its own water reservoir and generators for electricity.
Mark Walker, the Associate Vice president for IDC (International
Data Corporation) Sub-Saharan Africa, questions whether this
Smart City concept is relevant to African realities. He says that,
“If a Smart City is seen as the implementation of high-tech urban
innovation exclusively modelled on examples from developed
countries, the relevance is extremely low. However, Smart Cities
are not just about implementing technology for technology's
sake, but rather follow an informed agenda to combat the
relevant urban challenges, such as growing populations and
issues relating to basic service delivery, education, healthcare,
citizen safety, and social inclusion.”
“Technology is here to stay, and
nothing can stop its progression.
What is key is having the vision
as to how it can enhance the
lives of ordinary citizens.”
On the 22 of November 2019 Innovation day was hosted by
Johnson controls at the Sandton Convention Center. The theme
was ‘Talking Tomorrow, Today ’ a very apt title for the topics
involved. It spoke to stakeholders, creating the conversation
concerning the increasing crucial role played by technology
during the ‘digital age.’
The event incorporated overviews of smart city technology,
green building solutions, energy efficiency, infrastructure and
capital investment. “Technology is here to stay, and nothing
can stop its progression. What is key is having the vision as to
how it can enhance the lives of ordinary citizens,” says Archibald
Makatini, GM for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Johnson Control MEA
headquarters in Isando, Johannesburg.
South African president Ramaphosa made his intention to
‘create a truly unique smart city’ evident. As we head into the
fourth industrial revolution, he says it’s important that South
Africa adapts to this mindset. It’s estimated that in twenty years
we could see roughly 70% of South Africans living in urbanised
areas and embracing smart city living.
Perhaps it’s important to realise that in order to change the
world around us, we should maintain a positive and realistic
outlook on the success of smart cities in South Africa. Rather
than thinking that the challenges we face regarding electricity
(for example) will inhibit us from smart city success, we should
be thinking of solutions as to how developing smart cities
will defeat these challenges. Smart cities are a step towards
sustainability and self-sufficiency in South Africa.
SOURCES Stateofgreen, Techrepublic,
Internetofthingsagenda, Techtarget
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020
19