Talking Transformation Pete Ahmad

In August last year we were delighted to work with the fledgling Now Now Competition that used the Cape Town stadium as a focal point for its inaugural design contest. In it's second iteration the Now Now contest has shifted focus within Cape Town from Green Point to Khayelitsha's Spine Road.

In this latest episode of the Talking Transformation Podcast, Sebestian Hitchcock - principal coordinator of the NowNow architecture competition - and I talk to two of the local entrepreneurs within Khayelitsha, Brian Bango a friend of the podcast and, for the first time Buntu Matole.

Spine Road is a critical arterial for Cape Town linking numerous communities within and beyond Khayelitsha. It links the sands of Strandfontein in Mitchells Plain, through Rocklands and beyond Mew Way. It is recognised as a vibrant heart of the community and famed for its party and nightlife when the sun goes down!

This episode unpacks some of the realities and aspirations for the road and the broader community from innovators in that space: Brian is a leading property developer and Buntu is a pioneer in the tourism field.

The episode is upbeat, inspiring, and provides an excellent opportunity for the curious and prospective competition entrants alike to learn more about the opportunities of the road and requirements of the contest.

Recorded: Wednesday, March 27th 2024


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For our first recording of the year the Talking Transformation Podcast we are blending innovation, international and entrepreneurial flavours with our guest, Marlene Lerch co-founder of the "Dooiy" – Hack your Schack NGO.

Dooiy is a fledgling non-profit organisation from Germany that operates between Berlin and South Africa. I first met Marlene whilst working with the Ranyaka NGO team operating out of Stellenbosch last year. As you’ll hear, collaboration and partnership with other NGOs and agencies with similar values and perspectives is an essential part of their operations and key to the growth of Dooiy.

I was struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of “hacks” and devices that they promote via their Dooiy platform (https://dooiy.org/).

Whether it’s manufacturing soap, building a washing machine or DIY fire extinguishers, the products are designed to provide effective solutions for minimal cash outlays. There are also numerous guides to assist in the growing of vegetables and cooking tips to keep families healthy and diets nutrition-rich.

In addition to the health and safety benefits offered, Dooiy also seeks to provide young entrepreneurs with the chance to transform their own economic circumstances by manufacturing these items and on-selling within the community.

During the first days of an extended visit to South Africa I took the time to understand the approach and ambitions of Dooiy with Marlene. Her passion and enthusiasm for the platform, products, and communities she is working with make for a great way to kick start the first month of the year and I hope you’ll enjoy the episode as much as I did recording the episode and spending time with her.

Recorded 24th January 2024


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2024 is an important year for South Africa that will - no doubt - see plenty of reflection on 30 years of democracy and consider the achievements of this democratic era and the perennial and future challenges facing communities across the country.

One of those perennial challenges remains the progressive realisation of housing for all – a quest that has shaped so much of the debate and policy-making since 1994. So, it’s perhaps fitting that it’s a theme that kicks off our 2024 as we consider a newly released book: "Housing in African Cities - A Lens on Urban Governance".

Covering six countries and eight different cities across the
continent the book presents a series of housing themes and agendas - from Inclusionary Housing in Cape Town to the walk-up housing typologies of Fleurhof, Johannesburg.

In this TTPod episode, editorial team, Dr. Margot Ruben, Dr. Sarah Charlton, Dr. Neil Klug reflect on the contributions made. What themes were important and how do some of those themes echo (or not!) some of the thinking going into a new White Paper on Human Settlements?

Happy New Year to all Talking Transformation Podcast listeners!

Recorded 18th December 2023


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I was first made aware of the unique building typologies in the Blue Downs area in the early 2020s. Central Blue eState and eHousing units certainly didn’t look like a conventional affordable housing project or subscribe to many of the unit design concepts I’m familiar with. I’ve been intrigued by the thinking behind the units and the design ever since.


When I met the Managing Director and Co-founder of Citra South Africa, Joel Bauer on site a couple of months ago and he confessed to being a listener to the podcast, I invited him and members of the team to reflect on the Citra journey and development philosophy.  

What exactly was different and how does their thinking challenge the convention and principles of many affordable housing projects?
How can those approaches translate into efficiencies and savings in costs to keep costs low and the selling price within reach of their target markets?

This detailed conversation covers all of that and more, including an inspirational genesis story and reflections on the numerous challenges faced by a fledgling construction company that has a specific identity and construction process that didn’t quite fit the mould.


Recorded 1st December 2023




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In this episode of the Talking Transformation Podcast we change our geography considerably, from a South African context, to the Arabinan Peninsula and Persian Gulf region. Our guest is Mahmood Al-Wahaibi an urban planner, ethnographer and academic who heads up OTU: the Oman Think Urban.
The OTU is a Think Tank that blends urban ethnography and planning methodologies to support community engagement and research impacting on a number of the major planning initiatives in Oman. It comes at a time when Oman is looking to transition its economy away from a heavy emphasis on oil and commodities to a more diverse economy where tourism and emphasis on service sector industries are championing that transition.  
Based out of Muscat, the Capital City of Oman, Mahmood and I met in person a year ago when we both supported the Greater Muscat Structure Plan (GMSP). The GMSP is a fascinating case study in addressing a sprawling, low-density capital city that is bracing for significant changes in its spatial, economic, social and environmental character. It doesn't seek to address the transition and growth in the manner and style of Dubai or Dohar. Muscat's is arguably a more humble approach, that seeks to balance, on the one hand, the preservation and celebration of the heritage of an ancient city with the ambitions, on the other hand, to meet the demands of a modern and competitive economy and metropolitan city.
The implications for mobility modes, migration patterns and existential issues of environmental and sustainability issues have been key considerations in the GMSP.
Mahmood was the consummate host in a country and region I knew nothing about. I was curious about the region, the history, the opportunities and the transitions that were driving change in his home town and country. Many of the challenges we face here in South Africa are echoed in the GMSP but these are being tackled in a different way and with very different expectations and resourcing for infrastructure and partnerships.
I hope you'll enjoy the conversation and reflections from the episode.
Recorded 17th November 2023 

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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




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