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BC Gildenhuys & Associates bags international award for City Planning – First South African recipient
BC Gildenhuys & Associates
5 December 2022
BC Gildenhuys & Associates bags international award for City Planning – First South African recipient
BC Gildenhuys & Associates and the City Planning Department of the City of Ekurhuleni are proud to announce that we were awarded the Commonwealth Association of Planners Award for Outstanding Planning Achievement in the Commonwealth for 2022. This award was in the category "Planning for Cities & Human Settlements/Plan Making."
BC Gildenhuys & Associates is the first South African company to receive this reward. The international award comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa told the Parliament earlier this month that South Africa doesn't have suitably skilled town planners to help with urban planning.
The award is for the City of Ekurhuleni's Growth Management Strategy (GMS), which is a response to a rapidly changing environment. High rates of urbanisation, growing unemployment and a struggling economy, compounded by the impact of COVID-19, have meant that the City Council has had to rethink its spatial planning approach to achieve its long-term development goals. The Growth Management Strategy (GMS) used new and innovative spatial analysis techniques underpinned by technology and driven by a solid data and evidence-based methodology. The GMS encapsulates the principles of accountable, responsive, and responsible governance by setting objectives and fact-based guidelines to measure city development performance, formulating an appropriate response to change, and promoting a more sustainable and resilient city form. The strategy's formulation was driven by the view that if we cannot quantify, we cannot measure, and if we cannot measure, we cannot manage.
"We want to acknowledge and thank Ekurhuleni's planning team who allowed us the freedom to address the specific local development challenges rather than driving a process complying with endless government policies and guidelines," said Stephan Gildenhuys, BC Gildenhuys & Associates' director responsible for the project. "This is the way forward, and we hope this award will inspire other councils to make this much-needed mind shift."
For media enquiries, contact:
Stephan Gildenhuys – Director: BC Gildenhuys & Associates
Email: stephan@bcga.co.za
Cell: 083 560 7114
Congratulations to BC Gildenhuys & Associates and the City Planning Department of the City of Ekurhuleni for being awarded the Commonwealth Association of Planners Award for Outstanding Planning Achievement in the Commonwealth for 2022. This is a significant achievement, as BC Gildenhuys & Associates is the first South African company to receive this prestigious award.
The award recognizes the City of Ekurhuleni's Growth Management Strategy (GMS), which was developed in response to the rapidly changing environment and various challenges faced by the city. The GMS addresses issues such as high rates of urbanization, growing unemployment, a struggling economy, and the impact of COVID-19. To overcome these challenges, the City Council adopted new and innovative spatial analysis techniques supported by technology and a data-driven approach.
The Growth Management Strategy aims to achieve the city's long-term development goals while promoting accountable, responsive, and responsible governance. It establishes objectives and evidence-based guidelines to measure city development performance, adapt to changes, and foster a more sustainable and resilient urban form. The strategy emphasizes the importance of quantifying, measuring, and managing development effectively.
Stephan Gildenhuys, the director responsible for the project at BC Gildenhuys & Associates, expressed gratitude to the planning team of Ekurhuleni for allowing them the freedom to address the specific local development challenges. He highlighted the importance of adopting a flexible approach that goes beyond mere compliance with government policies and guidelines. It is hoped that this recognition will inspire other councils to embrace a similar mindset in their planning processes.
Once again, congratulations to BC Gildenhuys & Associates, the City Planning Department of the City of Ekurhuleni, and everyone involved in the successful implementation of the Growth Management Strategy. This international award highlights the innovation and excellence demonstrated by South African town planners and their contributions to sustainable city planning.