The South Africa City Network (SACN) prepares and publishes regular editions of a State of the Cities Report (SoCR) for South Africa.
The first edition in 2004 provided a first-of-its-kind overview of how the nine largest cities in SA had performed, between 1996 and 2001, against the thematic ideals of productivity, inclusivity, sustainability and good-governance. The 2006 SoCR is intended to provide an update on the first edition and more.
The scope of the statistical analysis has been extended to a range of surveys and data sets that provide a clearer picture of the trends in urban performance and the dynamics of the forces that shape cities in South Africa.
In the context of the "age of hope", the report explores how city development strategies have stimulated economic growth and the extent to which cities have provided access to services, amenities and opportunities for all residents.
In addition to reflecting on performance, the 2006 SoCR takes a look at the cities’ responses to strategic developments in the future. In light of the steep growth in capital budgets in the public sector over the medium term, the report investigates the urban development and service delivery agendas for South Africa’s cities on the road to 2010 and beyond.
The 2006 SoCR delivers a positive message about the growth potential that South Africa’s cities hold, and provides a wealth of data and analysis to support the myriad of stakeholders who will shape and build the cities of the future.
