Re-think the kind of city we want

IT is common cause that in any country across our continent and the world cities compete.

And the more pressure there is on economies globally, the more cities must define for themselves a unique selling point that gives each a competitive advantage as an investment destination.

But such a selling point can only be arrived at and harnessed in an environment where there is a shared vision, across sectors, for what a city should be.

One of the most important stories we told this week was that of a report from a fact-finding mission by a team from the World Bank to Nelson Mandela Bay.

The visit was part of the Competitive Cities Programme – which is aimed at growing city economies through the national Treasury and the World Bank.

Although somewhat optimistic about the city’s prospects, the team made some concerning findings which, although not surprising, give insight into the structural challenges that keep this metro lagging behind, socially and economically.

Among its findings was that ours is a racially divided city. It stands to reason that this significantly impacts not only on social cohesion but on the high levels of inequality which are among the worst in the country.

The team found that our strategic development arms lacked collaboration.

It also found that a fear among government officials to do the wrong thing often prevented them from taking decisions and doing what needed to be done.

Quite tellingly, the team noted that although buzz words such as “oceans economy” and “smart city” were often bandied about, some officials did not fully comprehend these concepts nor did they understand the details involved.

These findings may not be a scientific depiction of our city, but they ring true.

Therefore, they should compel all of us to think differently about the kind of city we want to be.

Only when we do so can we truly compete with the best in the world.