Abstract:
The Cities Support Programme (CSP) is a demand-driven programme within the
Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) division of National Treasury (NT). The CSP was
established to strengthen the partnership across sectors and spheres of government for
inclusive economic growth. It provides support through a results framework, with a clear
focus on:
• Putting in place and managing a fiscal framework that supports urban growth and
spatial transformation.
• Creating an enabling environment in which cities can achieve their long-term growth
strategy.
• Supporting cities with the implementation of these strategies.
Given CSP’s focus, projects are implemented in five different components, that is:
Governance and Fiscal, Human Settlements, Public Transport, Climate Resilience and
Sustainability and Economic Development.
In 2017, the CSIR administered a survey across South African cities, among senior
officials in the transport departments, to establish the extent to which the cities are able to
perform functions in terms of the National Land Transport Act (NLTA). Based on the
results most cities felt ill-equipped to prepare a basic transport plan and to comply with
technical requirements of the NLTA (Act 5 of 2009). Further requests to provide reasons
for lack of implementation of travel demand management plans, which are closely related
to spatial transformation, 40% indicated lack of skilled human resources as the largest
factor. Many more cities also indicated that they were generally unable to plan, implement
and manage modal integration another critical element of spatial transformation.
The purpose of the CSP’s Public Transport Capacity Building Programme is to
systematically enhance the capability of cities and associated officials in transport
departments to effectively internalise and implement spatial transformation imperatives in
transport planning. The project seeks to support cities in creating institutional capacity
within transport departments through creating leaning programmes and technical support
in refining transport plans and associated implementation instruments.
