The smart city, as defined by Wikipedia, is a ‘technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data’. Forrester says it is interconnected systems that optimise services and improve citizen experiences. And these intelligent environments are considered to potentially be the best route for Africa, which has the highest urban growth rate in the world, according to an analysis across 7 600 urban agglomerations in 50 African countries.

Thing is, South Africa can’t even get potholes and water supply right, much less electricity. How does this country move into a digital future when basic infrastructure is crumbling and corruption remains the most prolific local resource? Well, the answer is… it has to. According to a recent report by the Dullah Omar Institute, South Africa ‘does not have a choice on whether or not to proceed with smart cities’. The global landscape, the citizen need, and the demand for smarter resource usage and sustainability make this less of a nice thing to have on the horizon and more of an essential investment.