bgh. Gauly & Volgmann supported the preparation and implementation of the 6th network meeting of the South African-German Learning Network for Integrated and Safe Neighborhoods from 13-16.09.2024 in Ludwigsburg.
35 participants from South Africa and Germany came together to discuss current challenges and potentials of urban development. The focus of the event, which was organized as part of the GIZ project “Dialogues for Urban Change (D4UC)”, was peer-to-peer consultation on issues of integrated and community-oriented urban development based on eight living labs of the participating cities. These living labs are ongoing urban development projects that deal with the revitalization of inner cities and neighbourhood centres as well as the creation of liveable and safe public spaces for all residents.
A special feature of the network is the multi-level dialog. Participants in the network are representatives of the:
- Municipal level: KwaDukuza, Nelson Mandela Bay, uMhlathuze, Stellenbosch, Karlsruhe, Ludwigsburg, Nuremberg and Bottrop,
- Municipal umbrella organizations of both countries: South African Local Government Association (SALGA), The South African Cities Network (SACN), German Association of Cities (DST),
- lead ministries: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), South Africa and the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building as well as
- other South African ministries: Department of Human Settlements and National Treasury.
In Ludwigsburg, one of the areas visited was the city center, which has a number of problems to contend with. These include a high volume of traffic, a high degree of sealing and a lack of shaded areas. With the Pop-Up-Innenstadt project, the city administration pursued the goal of rethinking the public space in the city center and redesigning it in a resilient way. Together with citizens, ideas for redesigning public spaces were developed and tested through the implementation of temporary pop-up measures. In particular, topics such as sustainable mobility, climate adaptation, increasing the quality of life and improving safety were promoted.
Arsenalplatz was selected as an example of the redesign of public space in Ludwigsburg. As part of the collegial advice, this public space was examined in more detail and new ideas were developed in three interdisciplinary and international working groups.
The highlight of the network meeting in Ludwigsburg was the visit of South African Minister Hlabisa from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)
The next network meeting is scheduled to take place in Bottrop in 2025.
Commissioned by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Period: 2022 – 2025