Policy and Other Outputs

This case study on the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO) discusses the collaboration between provincial government and partner universities and was commissioned by the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency to inform the development of similar policy research initiatives elsewhere in the country. The study outlines the purposes driving the formation of the GCRO, the principles informing its constitution and the ways in which it has delivered on its mandate since 2008.

The case study shows what is possible to achieve when using the resources in academia to support the development agenda of the public sector, and when there is commitment from government to generating evidence for policy-making. An important element of the partnership is dedication to building in-depth knowledge and identifying long-term trends. The GCRO is an exemplar of how the use of data and research can be increased in policy development and implementation. While the government partners are the primary clients, the research outputs are publicly available.

Between 2011 and 2013 GCRO provided research support to the Gauteng Planning Commission (GPC) for an emerging long-term development strategy for the city-region, known as G2055. During this time GCRO supported the preparation of a G2055 Discussion Document, providing maps, data and drafting on specific sections. The G2055 Discussion Document was launched on 24 May 2012.

"With 22% of the national population (11.2 million inhabitants), the Gauteng city-region is the largest and richest region in South Africa, contributing to one-third of national GDP. The area encompasses a series of connected cities, including Johannesburg and the national capital of Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), that function as a single, integrated region. Gauteng has been South Africa’s growth engine: for every additional 1% growth in population in the province, 1.6% is added to its contribution to national growth, implying higher productivity than in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, the city-region’s growth potential is constrained by deep socio-economic challenges, including high unemployment (26.9%) and low productivity growth. Its rapid demographic and economic development has also reinforced the spatial segregation instituted under apartheid.

Against the backdrop of South Africa’s achievements since the fall of apartheid, this Review evaluates measures to position economic development policy and to confront economic inequality in Gauteng. The issues of adequate housing as a catalyst of economic development and a vehicle for socioeconomic integration, transport mobility and public service delivery are examined in detail. The Review also assesses the economic growth potential of the manufacturing and green sectors, as well as governance issues, focussing on the potential of intergovernmental collaboration in advancing a cross-cutting regional approach for Gauteng.”

For more information on GCRO's contribution, go to the OECD project page.

The GCRO’s work on the responses of cities and city-regions to the global financial crisis indicated that creating ‘green jobs’, and investing in a low carbon future, would be key to counter-cyclical spending world-wide. As a result the Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Firoz Cachalia, asked GCRO to draft a ‘green economy’ strategy to feed into the evolving Gauteng Growth Employment and Development Strategy (GGEDS). GCRO co-ordinated the project, which involved Prof Mark Swilling and his team from the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch, colleagues from the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, and Frank Spencer of G-Tech Energy.

A detailed strategy - ‘A developmental green economy for Gauteng’ - was presented to the MEC for Economic Development in January 2010. In April 2010, based on this work, GCRO was asked to assist the Department of Economic Development and the Advisor to the MEC to finalise the Gauteng Employment Growth and Development Strategy (GEGDS). This involved giving strategic advice on possible content and edits on drafts of the document.

Late in 2009, the MEC for Economic Development in Gauteng, Hon Firoz Cachalia, approached the GCRO to develop a ‘green economy’ strategy for the province, as part of a broader Gauteng Growth Employment and Development Strategy (GGEDS). Although colloquially referred to as the ‘green jobs’ strategy, this is really about sustainable development.

The strategy is summarised up front, in some 20 pages of key points, economic impact, job creation, and related data. Thereafter, each key initiative is developed in greater detail, and the reader can follow the argument, modelling and outputs in greater detail. The strategy also summarises South Africa’s ‘green’ commitments – the policy framework within which the document has been written – and ends with both some international comparative examples, and alternative funding options available to support the green strategy.