Johannesburg, South Africa

The city of Johannesburg is a naturally friendly city created from a grouping of concepts and technologies. These are the development of energy productivities, and water and waste management, joined with the maintenance of resources. Johannesburg is assembled on the values of economic and environmental sustainability. It is designed to improve quality of life for all who live in the city of gold and to create new business opportunities, increase access to social services, healthcare, education and to empower its citizens to achieve their ambitions. It's the most powerful commercial centre on the African continent.

The City of Gold – Joburg, jozi or Egoli – was born in 1886 when gold deposits were founded in the area. Although, the city was on dusty dry ground without a water source nearby, the city has grown into the economic hub of Southern Africa. The city became smart 1980s and 1990s after property speculators focused large amounts of capital into shopping malls, edge cities, and entertainment centres. Sandton City was opened in 1973, then Rosebank Mall in 1976, and Eastgate in 1979.

Johannesburg City has many upcoming plans and developments heading its way. One of the plans is to unfasten urban inequalities of the apartheid era. Currently there have setup a plans for Modderfontein which blows suburbs such as Sandton city and Rosebank out the water. Construction work alone on the project amounts to R84- billion and is due to start in 2015. Efforts have been made to improve the access to information examples: are the nine Rea Via bus stations, as wee as the Orlando Communal Hall, went live as free wi-fi hot spots. Efforts to implement a 1000 more wi-fi hotspots across the city are well on the way, says the Meyer of Johannesburg. Johannesburg continues as the economic hub of southern Africa and will continue to lead as South Africa's primary business centre, a dynamic centre of production, innovation, trade, finance and services. 

Author: Joshua Ngulube
Editor: Ibraaheem Vahed

References:

Joburg.org.za,. 'GDS 2040'. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 May 2015.

Maboja, Wilhelmina. 'Joburg On The Road To Being A “Smart City”'. Cnbcafrica.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 13 May 2015.