Geospatial and e-Governance readiness assessment : a case study from India and South Africa

E-governance and Geospatial technology adoption in the context of service delivery of municipalities is meant to have transparent, efficient and responsive government. In this globalised world, the technology adoption and its application is emerging at a very rapid pace. However, world over municipalities are facing enormous challenges to have effective municipal service delivery with changing scale of cities and changing socio economic background state of its citizens. The prime objective to implement E-governance and Geospatial Technology is usually cost cutting and also minimizing the complexities of procedure by possible business process reengineering. Municipalities are entrusted to provide efficient service delivery to its citizens and subsequent technology adoption however they still have issues like digital divide, affordability etc. The municipalities are keeping abreast of latest technologies and implementing them to enable greater facilitation of its services and at the same time increasing the accessibility of its services to the citizens. The concomitant advantage could be empowering people through so called “disintermediation” or eliminating middleman between government and its citizen. Just to mention a small example, implementing online property tax assessment and collection system could eliminate element of corruption in form of “middleman” and also improve on service delivery or consumer convenience especially in developing countries. The paper discusses and evaluates the dimensions of e-Governance and Geospatial adoption at select municipalities in India and South Africa and their readiness level for further change. The scope of this Geospatial and e-Governance Adoption is kept within the context of GIS and web enabled services, which further leverage transparency, responsiveness and accountability. Based on this overview of Geospatial and e-Governance Adoption level study, the paper identifies the lessons learned from the qualitative analysis of the Geospatial and e-Governance adoption levels for strengthening the areas of planning, governance and service delivery services to the citizens

The role of 6Ds : density, diversity, design, destination, distance, and demand management in transit oriented development (TOD)

This paper reflects on the efficacy of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and the primary components that constitute it. These components are widely recognized as manifesting themselves through the concept of “6Ds": Design, Diversity, Density, Distance, Destination, and Demand management. The paper thus investigates the main aspects that underlie these “Ds" and how they can equally be taken up in TOD initiatives. The development of efficient and sustainable transport systems has become a key mitigation method for major traffic problems such as congestion, poor mobility and access to services, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The primary argument of this papercentres on the premise that the application of “6Ds" through TOD can go a long way in addressing current challenges thatconfront urban transport within cities. Using a case study, the paper contextualizes one of the “6Ds" and subsequent conclusions are drawn thereof in the form of key determinants

Mobile GIS for construction quality managers and surveyors

In any mega construction project, quality survey managers play a vital role in judging quality of work done by different contractors and sub-contractors. Usually a quality survey manager uses a hard copy form to records the survey information and for reporting to the client. Typically, this entire process takes a week’s time or even more, there is no workflow in place for recording information and analyzing trends in irregularity by the quality managers. The requirement to capture and report quality survey observations in real time evoked a need to research on mechanism for recording the observations using smart phone and existing GIS infrastructure without any development on smart phone and mobile devices. An integrated solution using an editable ArcGIS Server feature service and ArcGIS online web maps was developed in order to perform the quality survey. The paper describes the mobile GIS solution for construction projects. The solution allows recording observations in a real time environment through a user-friendly interface and workflow driven process. It also allows users to capture the picture and attach it to an editable feature service. The client can view this information in real time using ArcGIS online or in the enterprise geodatabase. The use of the Esri online ensures restrictions on accessibility of the content and takes advantage over other application because no programming or development is required. In addition, the information is stored in Oracle database and used for analysis in future, based on the changing reporting requirements. The developed solution saved on time, money and is easy to use and deploy

Transparent and open governance : web content analysis of metropolitan infrastructure development and investments information at local level – a comparative study of four metropolitan cities of South Africa and India

The efficient municipal service delivery, expectations and perceptions of citizens are one of the important issues which are central to any municipality across various parts of the world. Among these issues, the transparency and accountability, management of funds for local development attracts special interest among citizens, organization, NGOs, and other stakeholders involved in the development process. The vicious cycle of financial constraints and poor service delivery often results into diversion of funds from earmarked development areas to the areas demanding priority attention. These issues still remain unaddressed and hidden in the absence of appropriate transparent and open government accessibility at internal as well as external levels within the municipal context. The paper highlights key findings from selected metropolitan cities of South Africa and India by doing exploratory comparative analysis about to what extent are the municipal websites addressing the issues of transparent and open governance. The assessment of municipal websites is focused on the issues of access to information on development funds and projects at local level to citizens and other stakeholders. The web content analysis on selected cities provide a background for discussion on the areas of concern to address the key gaps and initiatives for enabling transparent and open governance through municipal websites

Making great places in slums/ informal settlements

According to UN-Habitat (2007) “a slum is a heavily populated urban informal settlement characterized by substandard housing and squalor”. The word slum is generally used to describe low-income settlements with deprived conditions. (UN-Habitat, 2006). There is no universally agreed definition of the word slum. As conditions differ from country to country, different scholars from various countries define the term “slum” differently. Definitions mainly include: illegal, poorly-constructed settlements without basic services, even when some of them are relatively more different and have proper structures? An informal settlement can be defined as stated by Huchzermeyer and Karam (2006) as those settlements that were not planned by nor have formal permission to exist from government. Srinivas (1991) defines informal settlement/ slums as an area where the urban poor resides and usually have no access to tenure rights and are forced to ‘squat’ on vacant land either private or public. While slums/ informal settlements differ in size and other characteristics in different counties, but what most slums/informal settlements share in common are the lack of reliable basic services such as the supply of clean water, electricity, timely law enforcement and proper services. (UN-Habitat 2007). Place making is a described as an approach that is used to inspire and encourage communities to create their own space/ places. Place making is how we collectively shape our public realm to maximize shared value (Project for public spaces, 2009). The focus on place making was intended to remind planners of the human aspect of city-building and the ultimate goal is to create places that people use, that inspire social interaction and promote community stewardship (Urban Strategy Inc., 2008). This paper highlights critical determinants of place making in slums/informal settlements. In the context of slums/ informal settlements, firstly it covers what great places are and what constitutes as a great place. Secondly it covers the characteristics of a great place/ place making and how we can upgrade slums/ informal settlements in to great places. Lastly what is the perception of communities of great places and what they think is needed to make their settlement a “great place”. The paper is based on a research study of Kaya Sands slums/ informal settlements of Midrand, South Africa

A place-based approach to spatial transformation : a case study of transit oriented development (TOD), Johannesburg

The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) model is increasingly gaining momentum and becoming widely adopted by many cities in addressing a wide range of spatial development challenges within their communities. Development of this nature advocates for a return to a city form that is compact, higher in density, and supported by strategic nodes that promote public transit ridership and nonmotorized transport options over auto use. These elements fundamentally constitute the building blocks of TOD. In the wake of this increasing global awareness for TOD, this paper presents empirical findings of TOD perceptions in three nodal areas located along the Louis Botha development corridor in City of Johannesburg (COJ). Premised on a mixed methods approach, the paper provides an insight into current development typologies in the said corridor while equally interrogating the perceptions of residents toward TOD planning and implementation thereof. The paper also deliberates on the nexus between TOD and place making, out of which a mutually inclusive relationship is established. While the findings of this study reflect a rather poor public awareness of TOD and place making, several other points have been identified. Continued revitalisation programs and design improvements are required. Also, issues of parking planning and management will ultimately require a renewed focus in light of the anticipated Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) service along Louis Botha corridor. The paper culminates in the formulation of a set of TOD key determinants derived from the data analysis exercise. Though not necessarily intended to be standard reference points, the paper emphasizes the importance of these determinants in corridor oriented development

Metropolitan housing development in urban fringe areas - a case study of three metropolitan cities of South Africa: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane

Purpose: The metropolitan cities of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane plays an important role in the economy of the Gauteng province in South Africa. The region constitutes to 22.4 percent of the total population of South Africa and has a strong presence and contributes in areas of manufacturing sector, financial and business services, retail and wholesale trade, etc. The rapid urban population, increase in the informal settlements and socio-economic opportunities has resulted to considerable urban sprawl in and around the urban fringe areas of these metropolitan cities. The urban fringe areas of these metros often come under the influence of rapid urbanization process and pressures. Coupled with the economical and potential land dynamics and lack of priority of spatial development guidelines, these areas attract rapid and haphazard development from communities and developers. Research Design/ Methodology: This research is based on a qualitative approach through a comprehensive literature review that included content analysis of key documents on housing sector such as Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), Municipal Annual Reports, Growth Development Strategies, and among other sectoral documents on housing sector. Some of the key priority issues considered in the housing sector included: eradication of housing backlogs, spatial restructuring of housing, provision of choice in terms of location, tenure and housing typology. Findings: The current paper discusses the approaches of metropolitan housing development processes in three metropolitan cities of South Africa from Gauteng region, namely: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. The paper discuss the existing housing sectoral scenario along with the fringe areas in three cities with focus on: formal and informal settlements, housing segregation and the backlogs, current institutional arrangements, role of public private participation, and scope for alternate mechanisms. The paper concludes in discussion on sustainable development options for housing development in urban fringe areas