Seminar Series | Urban Matters: Cities and their Citizens

The Urban Matters seminar series creates a forum for rigorous debate on the politics and practices that shape urban Africa. Through interdisciplinary conversations, we explore the intersections between urban governance, infrastructure, inclusive understandings of citizenship and the lived experiences of all urban residents, and what these intersections reveal about the possibilities for building more equitable, sustainable cities. The series foregrounds both grounded empirical research and theoretical innovation, inviting critical engagement with the roles of citizens and institutions in shaping urban futures.

The Urban Matters Seminar Series is a collaboration between University of the Western Cape’s Politics and Urban Governance Research Group, the Department of Geography, Environmental Studies and Tourism, and the EMS Chair for Citizenship and Democracy.

Upcoming seminars

OPEN SECRETS | The Climate Con? How Management Consultants Are Cashing in on the Climate Crisis
Date: 19 August 2025
Time: 1pm-2pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Geography Department, UWC

This seminar examines the role and impact of private management consultants in South Africa’s Just Energy Transition. As the first Global South country to conclude a formal Just Energy Transition Partnership Agreement with international donors, with private management consultants being at the forefront of this process, it is important to reflect on the growing reliance on their expertise and raise questions about accountability, transparency and whose interests are being prioritised in the transition.

Please RSVP at this link by 17 August 2025.

Past seminars

ALAN MABIN | Challenges of University–City Relationships: Reflections from South Africa
Date: 7 August 2025
Time: 12pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Geography Department, UWC

This seminar explored the evolving and often fraught physical, institutional, and human connections between the University of the Witwatersrand and City of Johannesburg, focusing on efforts to bridge historically separated university space and urban environments. It reflected on the complex challenges faced by those aiming to foster meaningful university–city engagement, highlighting the need for diverse actor networks and locally grounded strategies to reshape South African urban development.

Alan Mabin is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and an Associate Member of the “Cities are Back in Town” research group at Sciences Po, Paris. He holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University, Canada, and is a Corporate Member of the South African Planning Institute. His research spans Brazil, France, Tanzania, and South Africa, complemented by experience in post-apartheid government, consulting, and NGO work, particularly with Planact.