Welcome to the latest episode of the Talking Transformation Podcast released on World Town Planning Day, the 8th of November 2023.
It's a great way to celebrate this initiative with this latest episode, as we pick up on a familiar TTPod theme: the issue of state-owned land - in this instance, properties owned by Transnet - and the opportunity to build and renew our existing cities.
My guest is the distinguished academic, Professor Ivan Turok who last week published an Op-Ed titled: "Transnet should sell its surplus land to unlock housing and jobs." It was an article widely circulated on social media and professional circles.
Ivan wrote that such a move could release funds to invest in operational improvements and unlock strategic sites for development addressing on the one hand, the financial sustainability for those organisations that are in financial distress AND maximising the city building opportunities of using strategic owned land portions that are not core assets. In effect, it's talking about a win-win for the agencies and cities more generally!
It remains a really important subject that should remain central to our thinking on a day World Town Planning Day.
What DOES it mean when we are unable to leverage and maximize the benefit of state assets in great locations?
How does that become more urgent and more pressing when those same agencies are requesting financial handouts?
What WILL it take to see the momentum shift?
Ivan has some compelling answers to these questions - I hope you enjoy the insights and the episode. Recorded Monday 6th November, 2023