Talking Transformation

In this TTPod episode we’re catching up with someone who’s become a real friend of the podcast and a standout leader in South Africa’s public sector: Yolisa Kani. She’s back with me in Cape Town, bringing her trademark energy and a wealth of experience from both government and the private sector. If you’ve followed Yolisa’s journey, you’ll know she’s spent decades at the forefront of transformation—blending policy, stakeholder negotiation, and commercial leadership to drive real change in how people and goods move across the country. After a four-year stint leading public policy for Uber in Southern Africa she re-entered the public sector, taking on the pivotal role of Chief Business Development Officer at Transnet. In this episode she reflects on: * The launch of LeaseCo, which aims to mobilize rolling stock, invite third-party operators, and free up strategic assets for broader development. * The cultural and leadership shifts happening within Transnet—and what that means for customers, cities, and the economy over the next 12 to 36 months. * Practical steps being taken to turn surplus Transnet property into real urban opportunities, and how the company is responding to calls for more flexible, mixed-use developments near transport nodes. We conclude with Yolisa’s candid reflections on the challenges ahead, the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors, and the milestones set for the coming year—including the ambitious targets for LeaseCo and the broader reforms designed to get more freight off the roads and onto rail. So, settle in for a conversation that’s as insightful as it is inspiring. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode. Recorded 20th October 2025

After a period of downtime on the TTPod recording front, we return with this first episode of a miniseries contemplating the metropolitan scale planning challenges and approaches adopted in the City of Johannesburg since 2000. This first introductory episode acts as an introductory episode, introducing six of us: professional planners who have held the title of Assistant Director: Metroplitan Planning since the City was constituted in 2000. Colleagues Johan Olivier, Peter Ahmad, Nkateko Shiplana, Dylan Weakley, Minenhle Maphumulo and Thandeka Mlaza-Lloyd each take a turn in introducing themselves and reflect on dominant themes and challenges they faced over two and half decades of metro planning. It was a really special recording, and I'm looking forward to unpacking some of the key themes and issues with colleagues in future episodes. For now, enjoy the stories and handovers that, in some small way, have contributed to the thinking and progress made in the City's metropolitan landscape since 2000. Recorded 1st October 2024

If you’ve listened to the first couple of productions in Series 2 you’ll know this period of 2022 has been very much a period of personal transformation for me. Just over a month prior to leaving the public service I concluded studies with the London School of Economics in February. I had chosen the Executive Masters In Cities (https://www.lse.ac.uk/cities/education/emc), as much for the content as the ringing endorsements from South Africa’s who had studies in the first few years of the course’s inception. You’ll already heard from a couple if you are a regular listener.  It was arguably the biggest career interruption since starting work in 1996. It challenged conventions and my own limitations whilst also reinforcing some of the positives we as South Africa have to offer. For all of our challenges and frustrations, we still have some of the most progressive thinking and personalities pushing the decision makers and it’s important we don’t forget that. I was constantly reminded of that as we shared experiences from fellow course participants from around the globe: from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Kyiv in the Ukraine, Chicago and LA in the States, Sydney, Australia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – these were just some of the home bases for my fellow students. Like countless students around the globe, we had COVID – or at least, the fallout from COVID - and all of its challenges, as a constant companion throughout our studies. The idea of travelling back and forth to the UK five times was always going to be a financial stretch but COVID and the global travel bans made sure the medium for learning and tuition was online. COVID also informed some of the course content and certainly shaped the rhythm and conversations we had between the diverse participants. Was this the end of Cities as we knew them? What were the implications for socio-economic, spatial and transport planning? And, just how responsive and adaptive were city governance models across the world to this latest disruption on an epic scale? What could COVID "do" to accelerate the climate change behaviours and responses? You’ve heard a number of these debates on the podcast: it was another thing to look at these issues through an academic lens. I wanted to sign-off my studies with an appreciative nod to the course leadership – Dr Savvas Verdis and Dr Philipp Rode who co-direct the course. I wanted as much to give them the opportunity to reflect on the course – why a course on cities, the adaption of content and their own stories – as much as to give me closure on this personal learning and transformation journey. I hope you enjoy the episode and find your own inspiration for your own next chapter :-) Recorded April 1st, 2022

Joining the TTPod for this first episode of Series 2 are two leading young urbanists who are shaping the way many of us think and respond to the built environment. Jodi Allemeier is no stranger to the podcast and operates as an independent professional and thought leader in the country. Her UrbanJodi blog remains a must follow for those who enjoy continuing the debate (find it at www.jodi.city). Roland Postma has recently concluded his studies and is a leading and articulate voice in the Young Urbanists (@young-urbanists) who have been generating increasing online content and debate for young professionals via YouTube and webinars. The conversation touches on our own personal transitional stories and our observations of recent events and opportunities in the future: emerging from COVID-19; new opportunities and familiar challenges facing new Mayors and councils; and what it “means” to think progressively about cities and community building in 2022. As always, we hope you enjoy the content and welcome feedback via: twitter: @talkingtransfo1; or email: talkingtransformation101@gmail.com Recorded 24th March 2022

Today's Talking Transformation Podcast tackles the issue of state-owned land and its importance in supporting spatial transformation and city-building, in particular, for affordablehousing programmes. It comes at a time when Illegal land occupations and the quantum of informal settlements in many of the towns and cities continues to increase as tangible indicators of urbanisation. Legislative reforms considering land expropriation without compensation are unfolding at the same time when the state is accused of paralysis and inertia in releasing well-located land it owns for the purposes of affordable housing and social amenities. Many advocacy groups are critical in their assessment that spheres of government are unable to release state land for public benefit and much-needed housing programmes to address urbanisation and substantial housing backlogs.  In June this year the Development Action Group (DAG), along with Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU), SASDI alliance, the Legal Resources Centre, the Community Organisation Resource Centre (CORC) and UCT’s Professor Vanessa Watson held a virtual public meeting to discuss the merits of releasing three state-owned land parcels in Cape Town, namely: Wingfield, Ysterplaat and Youngsfield. These advocacy groups suggest these well-located land parcels could house in excess of 120,000 Capetonians and 40,000 homes. This episode revisits the propositions made at that meeting and we hear from three of the participants: Adi Kumar from (DAG), Chadernnay Glenn (CORC) and Michael Clark (NU). The public sectors voice is missing from this episode and, as you’ll hear, it’s something we aim to address in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, enjoy the episode and thoughts from passionate representations from the NGO sector. Recorded Tuesday 17th August 2021.

Our guests on this first of a multi-part episode looking at the vexed issue of Inclusionary Housing in South African cities are Eric Raboshakga, City of Johannesburg, Dylan Weakley Senior Specialist: Strategic Urban Planner, City of Johannesburg; Lorraine Nzimande: Masters Graduate University of Witwatersrand and former CoJ; Robyn Park-Ross, researcher, Ndifuna Ukwazi; Willard Matiashe Lead Researcher, Development Action Group; and Catherine Stone Director Spatial Planning (Western Cape Provincial Government. In this first episode each participant sets the scene - What is it? Why is it important? And, what have been some of the challenges for City of Johannesburg in implementing their policy, adopted by CoJ Council in 2019?  Consider the perspectives of City and Provincial officials, advocacy groups and academia at a time when the public sector and development community are grappling with the complexity and governance aspects of a policy framework that is implementable, effective and meets the ambitions of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act. We also learn about how Inclusionary Housing "fits" within Land Value Capture (LVC) theory and practice.  The epsiode comes at a time when the Western Cape Provincial Government has published a Policy Framework for Inclusionary Housing for public comment. This episode sets the tone for an informed response to that document - find it available via the web @ https://www.westerncape.gov.za/eadp/news/western-cape-inclusionary-housing-policy-framework-open-comment Part 2 to follow!   Recorded 30th June 2021

Listeners to the Talking Transformation Podcast would recognise the severe urban housing backlog in South Africa and that informal settlements are frequently dictating growth patterns of our cities. Within informal settlements, “shacks,” are generally built poorly out of tin and other materials. There is often limited sanitation, plumbing and electricity. So, what is the relevance of the NZCB programme to these communities and others within the lower-end of the property market? Most importantly, how can the custodians and champions of the programme ensure that net zero carbon building includes and embraces informality and low income households? In this concluding session of our deep-dive session, we consider: the context of a severe housing backlog, will NZC retard low-income housing development through the burden of having to meet additional requirements? is NZC a luxury we can’t really afford? what are the opportunities that may arise from savings for the household? what are the opportunities to use alternative and more economic building materials? can Government’s state sponsored housing programme provide the impetus to lead the NZC market – particularly important during a recession. To assist us with answering these questions, we are joined by, Liana Strydom – City of Johannesburg; David Gardner - Inhlabathi Investments; and Marc Sherratt - MSSA Recorded, May 4th 2021 Social Media Marketing Twitter: @SEA_UrbanEnergy Twitter: @c40cities LinkedIn: Sustainable Energy Africa LinkedIn: C40 Cities Other platforms Newsletter: SEA Urban News – distributed quarterly Website: www.cityenergy.org.za, www.sustainable.org.za,

In this 3rd episode of our Deep Dive Series on Net Zero Carbon Buildings, hear from four leading experts on the transition efforts of the built environment sector. The Talking Transformation Podcast is delighted to host colleagues from both the private and public sector: Lesley Sibanda and Mary Haw (City of Cape Town), Chilu Lombe (Solid Green) and Megan Sager (Sustainable Solutions). They reflect on a series of themes including:  Can the private sector handle the transition and to date, what has the response been? The sectors, companies and land uses - who is leading / who is following? As regulation and communication techniques improve, how will owners and tenants of budlings adapt their choices and behaviour? The role and importance of data informing choice, policy and targets; and What are the collaborations between the public and private sector that are supporting shifts in behaviour and tactics? It's a welcome third conversation building on the demands and the challenges being placed on the industry but also reflecting strongly on the opportunities that exist and the critical mass of effort which is help shape that change. Recorded: 6th April 2021

Listen in to this second deep-dive TTPod Episode and hear from five of South Africa’ leading authorities on SA’s transition to energy efficient cities and decide for yourself: Are Cities ready to implement NZC-Buildings and the C40 South African New Buildings Programme?  Do cities have the mandate (powers and function) to drive such an ambitious programme?  How are the plans and regulations aligning – between corporate and environmental planning and between the spheres of government?  Who is responsible for what – Constitution vs By-laws v National Building Regulations (NBR) Who leads and who follows?  What adaption is needed for building officials’ skills and competencies to support and facilitate the private sector and to drive professional adaption in the built environment? Why is it important that cities adapt and take the lead? How do we shift from strategy to action and implementation? Who else needs to make that shift?  How can we build in speed and efficiency in the administration to incentivise the shifts?  With thanks to co-guests Hlengiwe Radebe and Megan Euston-Brown from Sustainable Energy Africa and C40 Cities  Talking Transformation Podcast available on: Anchor: https://anchor.fm/talking-transformation-po Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1OKG8dGAIVCsAmPBilmSsV Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/talking-transformation/id1472458399 Social Media Marketing Twitter: @SEA_UrbanEnergy Twitter: @c40cities LinkedIn: Sustainable Energy Africa LinkedIn: C40 Cities Other platforms Newsletter: SEA Urban News – distributed quarterly Website: www.cityenergy.org.za, www.sustainable.org.za,

Our first bulletin of 2021 kick-starts a forthcoming five-part series where we explore the South African New Buildings Programme. Our experts, Hlengiwe Radebe and Megan Euston-Brown from Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) introduce us to the topic and walk us through what listeners can expect in the upcoming discussions over the next few months. We learn about the need for the series, the ambition of the programme and what themes we will be covering. Listeners can also consider registering for a concluding online, live-event that will conclude the programme. More on that to follow. Join us over the coming weeks to explore: - what IS net zero carbon and what have buildings, green or otherwise got to do with it? - the cities and partners in involved in the programme; - the extent of the challenge and what a net zero carbon pathway might look like; - Can Cities ‘go beyond’ national government building regulations? - The market response to more stringent efficiency requirements; - Why it is so critical that we find a way to meet the commitments? The series will tackle the challenging questions of the moment: - Can Cities lead on ambitious climate action without compromising national interests and the recovery efforts from a technical recession and the COVID-19 pandemic? - Do Cities have the capacity to deliver the programme? - Can this find traction given economic recession and a backlog in low-income housing delivery; - How does this relate to the hard reality of growing informality? We hope you will join us on this road in the coming months!  Recorded 3rd February 2021

In our first Talking Transformation Podcast of 2021, we pick up where we left off last year, with a conversation with another former colleague from the City of Johannesburg and reflections on a particular moment in time that has shaped the legal fortunes of municipalities in dealing with temporary accommodation for evictees. Our guest Zunaid Khan - Chief Director at the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation – Office of the Presidency - revisits 2011 and the landmark Blue Moonlight housing case. This Constitutional Court ruling provided that the state is liable to provide alternate – temporary - accommodation to unlawful occupiers who may be rendered homeless due to an eviction from private property. The case also indicated that a private owner’s right to property may be limited by the right to housing of unlawful occupiers. Zunaid was on the frontline of the City’s response and legal case and I asked him to reflect on not only the merits and details of the case and what the ruling meant but also the reality and pressure of being a civil servant in the legal firing-line. He recently spent almost a year acting as Deputy Director General and has a distinguished career spanning almost two decades. He has worked within the private sector and served with local and National government. Presently, he is the Chief Director of Spatial Planning at Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation within the Office of the President’s Department of the Monitoring and Evaluation. We also take a quick look at the spatial planning horizon for 2021 – what are his hopes and fears – beyond the pandemic, beyond the economic challenges we face. What can we hope for from national and where should we be looking…

Adding to the rich content of housing conversations – in particular Episodes 14, 22 and 27 – in today’s episode we take a closer look at the private finance models available to micro-developers; what progress has been made and what ambitions this emerging sector has. Currently making a dent in the housing market in Cape Town, Bitprop finance’s mission is to create assets and income streams for underdeveloped markets by upscaling of backyard rental properties. Innovative thinking, technology and securing title deeds are also key approaches they employ to make a dent into the 65 Million housing units required across Africa at a cost of $10 trillion. The approach is not limited to credit only and applies economic and spatial transformation and urban management fundamentals: Securing ownership, homeowner education, rental management capacity building and building and enhancing neighbourhoods. What’s exciting is the potential reach of the programme; the diversity in investment sources; and the monthly income and returns for the lending homeowners. Is this the basis for an upscaled human settlement approach? What can be done to support the efforts and does the public sector have a role in resourcing further? To help us understand the potential and approach, today, we hear from Claire du Trevou Architectural Project Manager at Bitprop. An architect by trade, she is a graduate of the University of Pretoria and is about to celebrate her second full year working within the Bitprop team. Where I get confused by the UKs Britpop movement of the 90’s characterised by Oasis and Blur and the Bitprop finance movement characterised by spatial and economic transformation – the fault is entirely ours.