Cape Town - The City of Cape Town is committed to establishing a modern, efficient, and transparent municipal government through the implementation of a comprehensive data strategy.
This initiative aims to advance service delivery into the Digital Age, positioning the City as a frontrunner in data-driven planning and service provision across Africa.
Since 2018, the City has developed an internal administrative data strategy and has embarked on significant transformation over the past three years to become a data-centric city.
Substantial efforts have been dedicated to converting administrative data into actionable and relevant business intelligence that effectively supports decision-making while enhancing efficiency and transparency.
Recently, the City launched its data strategy, marking a milestone as the first African city to undertake such an initiative.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City was committed to advancing service delivery into the digital realm and ensuring unprecedented levels of data transparency for its residents.
He said the details of the City's approach to achieving these goals were outlined in the Data Strategy.
“This ranges from data and maps on basic services, demographics, and infrastructure, to ongoing water quality sampling data for inland and coastal waterbodies,” he said.
The strategy identifies a robust data architecture, effective data governance, and necessary supporting capabilities as essential components for success.
Furthermore, the City plans to enhance the monitoring of infrastructure and service performance to improve public service management.
City manager Lungelo Mbandazayo said the strategy emphasized the importance of protecting individuals’ information and privacy by design.
He said City data should be managed ethically and utilised responsibly.
“The strategy is also clear that City data are a public asset and belongs to the City as a whole, not a particular department or official,” Mbandazayo said.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UKFCDO) has awarded the City a three-year contract to provide technical advisory services to facilitate the implementation of the initial data plan.
As a result, Hugh Cole has been appointed as Chief Data Officer, overseeing the execution of the City’s data strategy.
Cole said while the launch signified a pivotal moment in the City's initiative to enhance services, there was still considerable work to be done.
“We live in a complex city, with many different needs and types of neighbourhoods. It is a rapidly growing city, so to deliver service we really need to make the best decisions and use all the data available.”
Cole said data played a crucial role in the City's strategy to address its challenges.
“It is about dealing with shocks and long-term challenges that the City faces that are out of our control,” Cole said.
Additionally, the business sector and civil society are increasingly benefiting from the City Open Data Portal.
Former civil servant of the UK government’s Digital Service, Richard Pope said data could not be outsourced as it was an integral component of contemporary governance.
“Real-time data, making services better for the public. It’s treating data as a common resource across the city,” Pope said.
Weekend Argus