On September 9 2024, the City of Cape Town made history by becoming the first city in Africa to launch a comprehensive data strategy. This landmark data strategy represents years of stakeholder engagement, meticulous planning and in-depth analysis. The City of Cape Town is leading both the development and implementation of the strategy, with our ongoing support. The implementation of the strategy is funded by the UK Government in South Africa, under our Urban Resilience Programme.  

The Data Strategy Launch, held in-person in Cape Town, brought together practitioners from various departments within the City of Cape Town, as well as local and international experts in digital technology, data, and urban planning. The event began with opening remarks from Executive Mayor of Cape Town Gordon Hill-Lewis, City Manager Lungelo Mbandazayo, and Chief Data Officer Hugh Cole.

In his remarks, City Manager Mr. Mbandazayo reflected on the power of data-driven decision making, noting:

“I have seen first-hand the power of data driven decision making in moments of crisis. The City response to COVID-19 that I oversaw was entirely data driven, helping us navigate significant uncertainty. I believe that our data-driven approach to that crisis actually helped us to take a big step forward in the use of data and our decision-making culture.”

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So, why a data strategy for Cape Town?

A good strategy takes an institution’s goals and values and turns them into clear, prioritised actions. For a city, a data strategy pulls everything together, focusing on what really matters to improve the lives of its residents. Cape Town’s data strategy isn’t just about data and tech—it’s about making informed decisions, improving service delivery, and planning infrastructure in a way that really works for the benefit of all city residents. Most importantly, it aims to put the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities front and centre.  

Richard Gevers, Open Cities Lab’s Chief Strategy Officer, highlights the core objective of the City of Cape Town’s data strategy:

“The strategy turns ideas and intentions into action; it is not a static document. Through the strategy, the spatial, structural, and social networks and dynamics of the city come together in a more cohesive way. It’s obviously a long journey of implementation, which requires a lot of work in hard, contested spaces. But ultimately, the intention of a data strategy is to create better urban spaces and radically better services for all in the city.”

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Cultivating a Spirit of Learning and Adaptability

The launch of the data strategy spanned several days, starting with workshops and masterclasses on September 9 and 10, followed by targeted technical sessions on September 11 and 12. These interactive sessions reflect our commitment to product thinking, which prioritises user-centred design and flexibility over rigid technology and program limitations. The City of Cape Town’s Data Strategy is not just a final outcome—it’s a launchpad for ongoing collaboration and dialogue, aimed at creating tangible benefits for Capetonians.  

Following the open remarks from the City of Cape Town on Day 1, we jumped right into a dynamic panel discussion led by Hugh Cole. The panel, which included Anton Grutzmacher, Beatriz Vasconcellos, Gordon Inggs, Phila Mayisela, Richard Gevers, Theresa Uys, and Tiffany Davis, offered valuable insights and perspectives on the strategy’s potential impact and its path forward:

• While data analytics have become more accessible, trust and data security are essential for effective collaboration.

• Examples from developing countries, such as Togo’s COVID-19 response, highlight how data can drive significant change even with limited resources by breaking down silos and integrating systems.

• A strong data strategy is essential for inclusivity and progress—it’s about governance, leadership, and culture, not just technology.

• Effective change management and resident engagement are important for the strategy’s success.

• Improving service delivery means better system integration and communication, especially in informal areas.

In the afternoon of Day 1, we had some fantastic masterclasses designed to deep dive into key areas, with the aim of giving participants practical tips and strategies to boost their data and tech skills whilst making their work more impactful.  

• Richard Pope shared invaluable lessons on the ‘Government as a Platform’ approach, highlighting the UK Digital Services’ approach to creating responsive and efficient government platforms. He also touched on themes from his new book, Platformland, which explores design, technology, and next-generation public services and infrastructure.

• Manish Srivastava—Chief Technology Officer at eGov Foundation, joining us virtually, discussed how Digital Public Infrastructure transforms service delivery by strengthening governments, markets, and empowering citizens with their own data. He also explained how modular, stack-based architectures are better at adapting to change and accelerating innovation, especially for cities expecting rapid growth.

• Mardiya Siba Yahaya and Zanele Sokatsha highlighted the importance of user-centred, inclusive digital solutions. They explored design justice, asking: Who holds power when it comes to data, and how can we challenge these imbalances? Their case studies demonstrated how often overlooked city residents can be centred in digital design.

On Day 2, we dove deeper into the City’s data future with insightful sessions focused on challenges, solutions and real-world applications. Shabari Shaily-Gerber, Head of Urban Economic Development at FCDO South Africa, and Gordon Inggs, Principal Professional Officer at the City of Cape Town, kicked off the day with their opening remarks, setting the tone for an insightful and productive day.

Shabari Shaily-Gerber highlighted the complexities of urban resilience, stressing the need for inclusive governance and future-proofing cities. She outlined the objectives of FCDO's partnership with the City of Cape Town and Open Cities Lab in refining the data strategy, building city data capabilities, and supporting sustainable development in secondary cities. The strategy’s lessons, as highlighted in her discussion, could extend beyond Cape Town, providing a blueprint for other cities across South Africa to navigate similar challenges.

"The data strategy is critical for the city, and the lessons it offers could benefit cities across South Africa," she noted. "Simply put, I don't think we fully understand how our cities operate yet, or what it truly means for the most vulnerable South Africans living in them. I hope that as Cape Town's data strategy is implemented, it will drive transformational change in how cities think and how urban systems function. This is also crucial for the rest of the country, as other cities, especially larger metros, are grappling with similar challenges—poverty, inequality, unemployment; and spatial exclusion is intricately linked to all of these challenges."

Gordon Inggs followed with a broad overview of how data plays a crucial role in enhancing city service delivery. He emphasised that while many residents may not be aware of the intricacies of the City’s data strategy, its impact is significant.  

“At the end of the day, if we work better with data, we get better at service delivery—and that's the bottom line. What we're really focused on with the data strategy is getting the key enablers right: strong governance, robust data architectures, and having the right people and partners to help us achieve this.”

Continuing with Day 2, we moved into dynamic workshop sessions, delving into key aspects of digital infrastructure, data standards, and product development for Cape Town’s data strategy.  

• Manish Srivastava guided us through India’s journey with digital public goods, focusing on the transformative power of  designing service delivery systems with future urban challenges in mind. His insights from India’s rapid urbanisation and the application of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) provided valuable lessons for Cape Town.

• Henri Knoesen—Product Manager at the City of Cape Town, unpacked the challenges of building data products in complex urban environments and highlighted the need for user-centric designs, political buy-in, and cultivating a culture of data literacy.

• During an interactive session, Richard Gevers explained how product thinking guides our approach at OCL. He noted that this mindset helps us prioritise user-centred design and adaptability over getting bogged down by technology or program constraints.  

• Aliasgher Janmohammed—Senior Product Manager at OCL, led a vibrant discussion on data standards, explaining why they are critical to city governance and questioning what ‘good’ tools look like when managing city-wide data. His session provided actionable insights for Cape Town to create robust data governance practices.  

• Ben Snaith—Senior Researcher at the Open Data Institute shared a presentation which focused on ‘Data as a Service’, exploring data governance and infrastructure as essential building blocks for smarter cities.  

• Richard Pope joined us for another presentation, wrapping up the session with an interactive session on the ‘build vs. buy’ debate, using use case studies to illustrate when it’s appropriate to develop in-house solutions versus procuring external systems.  

These workshop sessions provided practical next steps and sparked engaging discussions, setting a strong foundation for advancing the implementation of Cape Town’s Data Strategy.  

Reflecting on her experience as a participant, Kay Achenbach from Open Data Institute noted,

“One of the things that I do a lot is deliver training to civil servants and to companies and governments across the world. A lot of times, I use the same old tired examples. But here, I heard some interesting ones that really resonated with me. I'm sure I'll be reflecting on them and possibly using them as case studies to develop good practices around data usage in cities for future training events.”

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Building a Resilient Future

As stakeholders continue to engage in this ongoing dialogue, the insights gained from the workshops and discussions will be instrumental in refining and implementing the strategy. The commitment to leveraging data for improved service delivery and social equity sets a powerful precedent, showcasing how cities can harness data as a tool for transformation.

In this collaborative effort, the City of Cape Town is not just paving the way for a more efficient and effective urban management system but is also ensuring that the needs of its most vulnerable residents are front and centre. This launch is a powerful reminder that strategic leadership and collaboration are key to creating cities that can adapt, innovate, and thrive in the face of future challenges.

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