Key Themes from the Discussion

1. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Stakeholder Participation
   Drawing from experience on cross-border projects like the Maputo Corridor, Hannes stresses that successful PPPs require early, genuine, and integrated stakeholder engagement (communities, businesses, government departments, media).
   • It's not a one-way info dump - show willingness to adapt designs/processes based on feedback.
   • Address "what's in it for them" (e.g., subcontracting, jobs).
   • Harmonize legislation, operations, and processes across borders to avoid conflicts.
   • Communities are sophisticated (including professionals like engineers/lawyers); involve them respectfully to avoid resistance.
   • Direct, open, fact-based communication (including with media) builds the right perception and counters misinformation.
     
     
2. Innovative Approaches for Urban Resilience and Sustainability
   Africa's rapid urbanization and congestion create big opportunities for smarter transport solutions.
   Tolcon is evolving beyond traditional tolls/weighbridges/ITS to address emerging needs via its renewable energy and software companies.
   Key innovations highlighted:
   • Smart tolling (satellite-based, multi-lane free-flow, congestion/time-based pricing).
   • Integration with navigation apps (e.g., Google Maps/Waze) for incentives to avoid peak congestion.
   • Intelligent traffic management (adaptive traffic lights using real-time data).
     These reduce unnecessary congestion, improve efficiency, and help make cities more competitive and sustainable while tackling infrastructure funding gaps.
     
     
3. Lessons for Future Urban Projects
   • Proper project preparation is essential (feasibility studies, traffic/environmental assessments) to attract funders.
   • Strong project structure: Harmonize cross-border elements and create unified implementing authorities where possible (as in Maputo Corridor).
   • Prioritize local involvement for equitable benefits - make communities feel ownership, create jobs, and build local capacity rather than relying on external firms that "build and leave."
     
     
4. Tolcon's Excitement and Future Role
   Hannes is optimistic about growing government willingness across Africa to develop infrastructure and close the competitiveness gap.
   Tolcon wants to contribute by:
   • Leveraging its deep African understanding and experience.
   • Delivering sustainable solutions with skill transfer, local employment/contractor use, and training - so countries become self-reliant.
   • Avoiding dependency; aim for projects where locals can operate independently after Tolcon exits.
     This supports job creation, economic development, connected cities, and scalable transport corridors/urban mobility solutions.
     The company is eager to participate in the expanding pipeline of African projects, especially ahead of events like Infrastructure Africa 2026.

Overview of Tolcon Group

Tolcon Group is a leading South African provider of transport infrastructure management services, operating since 1985 as an ISO-accredited company. It consists of six operating companies and specializes in:

• Toll and weighbridge operations and maintenance
• Freeway/intelligent transport systems
• Route management and routine road maintenance
• Toll system development and supply
• Additional areas like renewable energy (solar) solutions, software development, and specialist electrical installations
• The company has 40 years of experience in South Africa (e.g., managing contracts for SANRAL and private concessionaires) and is expanding into Africa, with an established presence in Zambia and active exploration in countries like Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. Tolcon positions itself as a trusted, integrity-driven African partner focused on sustainable growth, not just short-term projects.

Dive into the movement flipping Johannesburg's story from 'the city is finished' to 'watch this space'. In just two years Jozi My Jozi has lit up bridges, cleaned streets, built a full-size inner-city football field and signed a deal to revive the High Court precinct, all powered by citizens and smart partnerships.

Guest: Innocent Mabusela, Head of Stakeholder Relations and Communication at Jozi My Jozi

Host: Dan Claassen, Managing Director, Future Cities Africa

Welcome to the Local Government Innovation Series on Future Cities Africa, presented by Business Engineering.

Explore how Swartland Municipality keeps topping national rankings for financial sustainability, ease of doing business, and digital innovation - from launching South Africa's first 'IDP in Your Pocket', to paperless land-use and building-plan portals that unlock rapid development, to turning a devastating 2020 ransomware attack into even stronger systems. Swartland is proof that a small municipality can lead the way.

Guests from Swartland Local Municipality
Joggie Scholtz - Municipal Manager
Alwyn Zaayman - Senior Manager: Development Management
Olivia Fransman - Senior Manager: Strategic Services

Host
Dan Claassen, Managing Director, Future Cities Africa

Dive in to what rapid urbanisation actually looks like on the ground: from the unique challenges of a 30-year-old democracy and a super-young population, to smarter-city solutions that actually work, future-proof planning, and how to deliver services to millions while building climate resilience – without bankrupting municipalities or repeating yesterday's mistakes.

Dan Claassen sits down with Bronwyn Williams, co-author of the explosive new book Survive the AI Apocalypse: A Guide for Solutionists.

It calls the next decade a full-on reset: jobs evaporating, deepfakes everywhere, every old life script burnt to the ground… and a supernova of brand-new choices exploding open.

A lot of people are freaking out – but what if this great shrinkage is actually our continent's biggest breakout moment ever?


Bronwyn's here to flip the fear into firepower.

Five hard hitting questions: from turning panic into solutionist superpowers, to building future African cities where humans and AI amplify each other instead of one wiping out the other.

Presented by Business Engineering

Guest:
Dawie de Jager, Deputy Municipal Manager, Kouga Local Municipality

Episode Focus:
How Kouga went from financial distress in 2016 to becoming the best-performing municipality in the Eastern Cape (2025 SAPOA | Ratings Africa Awards) and achieving repeated clean audits.

Key Takeaways:

1. Turnaround Foundation (2016 onwards)
   • Clean, ethical governance and strict financial discipline were non-negotiable
   • Appointed competent, ethical people despite salary-cap challenges
   • Strong consequence management for fraud and unethical behaviour
   • Excellent CFOs enforced compliance with the MFMA led to Kouga's first clean audit and continuous improvement
2. Performance Management & Oversight
   • Cascaded performance agreements from top to bottom
   • Introduced Ignite system with monthly tracking and live dashboards
   • Strong political-administrative alignment and council oversight
3. Infrastructure & Visible Results
   • Fixed dilapidated bulk water & wastewater treatment works (e.g., state-of-the-art upgrades at KwaNomzamo)
   • Massive road resealing program (targeting 71% of roads) + new gravel-to-tar projects
4. Innovation in Service Delivery
   • Smart technology on suction tankers, smart metering pilots, upgraded wastewater plants
   • Central incident management system: call centre - job dispatch - photo proof - SMS notification - customer rates the service
   • Ward-based WhatsApp groups, multilingual communication, online building-plan submissions
5. Digital Transformation (Collaborator & Beyond)
   • Collaborator platform streamlined document management, policy reviews, council resolutions, and agenda preparation
   • PowerBI service-delivery dashboards give real-time ward-level insights
   • Early AI exploration: internal search on documents, future WhatsApp AI assistant (with caution)
6. Future Outlook
   • Balancing cutting-edge tech with the human touch South Africans still value
   • Embracing AI and smart tools proactively 'so we are not left behind'

Kouga's success recipe = ethical leadership + financial discipline + competent people + smart digital systems that make governance and service delivery transparent, fast, and accountable. A standout example for local government in South Africa.

Dive into the impactful corporate social responsibility initiatives of the Sanlam Foundation. This episode explores how Sanlam Foundation drives social and economic change through education, enterprise development, and financial literacy, while addressing challenges and fostering sustainable outcomes in urban nodes like Bellville.

Presented by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership, my guest in this episode is with Ray-ann Sedres, Head of Sanlam Foundation.

His Worship, Councillor, Prince, Thuso Moyo, Mayor of City of Victoria Falls, outlines the city's post-2020 infrastructure upgrades, community-driven tourism recovery strategies, robust digital platforms for transparent service delivery, and promising opportunities for partnerships to build a smart, green city by 2030.

The city, upgraded from town status in 2020, has launched a US$15 million WASH project—raising US$4.5 million through stands sales—to construct 5 million and 750,000-liter water reservoirs, improving supply despite infrastructure lags.

Tourism, employing 90% of residents, suffered severe COVID-19 setbacks with business closures, prompting strategies like small business stands in areas like Kishasa, youth skills training to curb substance abuse, and support for vulnerable groups.

Digital transformation is central to enhancing transparency, efficiency, and global accessibility: leveraging platforms like Facebook (for live-streaming updates), WhatsApp, Twitter, TikTok, a chatbot, and website for resident engagement; enabling seamless online payments via EcoCash and internet banking; and allowing remote applications for housing, tenders, and licenses - even for diaspora residents. A dedicated new planning department and submitted master plan further embed initiatives like digital signages, positioning the city as a tech-forward hub to attract international investors and streamline operations toward sustainability goals.

Partnerships with NGOs like PRI for city cleaning and MOUs with community leaders advance the 2030 vision of a smart green city - the cleanest by then -fostering investments like four to five new hotels.

Challenges include bureaucratic delays in ministry approvals, but no major political instability; the peaceful environment attracts global tourists and funds, prioritising tourism as one of Africa's seven wonders.