Page 6 - UKZN Proceedings of the Conference Report

MeSSage froM the CoNfereNCe ChaIr
Welcome to the first edition of the Proceedings of the Conference on Public Innovation, Development and Sustainability, held on 24 – 25 October 2024 at the Garden Court Marine Parade Hotel in Durban, South Africa. As part of advancing citizen participation in line with Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), we hosted a workshop during day 2 of the conference which aimed to provide valuable insights to anyone interested in the future of democratic engagement in the digital age. Attendees included government officials, civic tech enthusiasts, and researchers, among others. The workshop provided a comprehensive understanding of how technology could bridge the gap between local governments and communities, potentially enhancing public service delivery and policymaking in South Africa.
The conference featured presentations that address issues of innovation in local government, innovation and inclusive development, digital transformation and public innovation, and public-private partnerships (PPPs) in advancing innovation, among other themes. The manuscripts presented here provide valuable insights into innovation issues facing the public at a global level, and the urgent need to adopt innovation to improve service delivery.
Lebaka and Qumbisa’s manuscript on ‘Social housing as a driver of urban regeneration: Exploring innovative approaches in the Free State’explores the policy frameworks guiding social housing and urban regeneration in the Free State province, with a particular focus on how social housing can drive urban regeneration. Nemakhavhani’s manuscript on ‘Fostering innovation through effective stakeholder engagement and community participation in public-private partnerships in the South African construction sector’ seeks to contribute to the successful implementation of PPPs by exploring and identifying strategies that optimise stakeholder engagement and community involvement in PPPs.
Nhlapho and Zondi allude to the role that public innovation plays in improving the quality of public services and strengthening problem-solving capabilities. However, despite this assertion, their manuscript identifies potential barriers and enablers to public innovation in the context of local government. Mhlongo’s manuscript on ‘Socio-economic benefits of public-private partnership for municipal water provision in eMalahleni Local Municipality’ analysed the significance of water infrastructure as an
important vehicle for cities’ prosperity, development and functionality. It argues that there is potential for PPP schemes to improve the municipality’s socio-economic aspect and a growing dependency, which indicates its positive value add.
Marago shared valuable insights on the potential of AI-driven solutions in promoting sustainability by advancing innovations while improving crisis handling. In their manuscript on ‘Energy managemennt systems in residential buildings: A review’, Khafiso, Adekunle and Clinton review the requirements, barriers, and drivers of energy management systems in residential buildings. Xaba and Govender interrogate eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s decision to adopt the Smart City concept with the aim of assessing the municipality’s readiness in adopting e-participation platforms. Odero and Govender’s manuscript titled ‘A decision model for selecting and prioritising systems projects for Kenyan State Corporations’ addresses issues facing kenya in selecting and prioritising the most suitable information systems and technology which is likely to attract investments, enhance employment and address financial crisis.
Mahlungulu and Khalema interrogate the barriers and facilitators to the employment of people living with disabilities in the South Africa public sector. Ngidi and Nkomo’s manuscript on ‘Youth participation in municipal matters through smartphon apps: Exploring perceptions and attitudes of students of University of KwaZulu- Natal, Howard College’ draws from the argument that conventional methods such as public hearings and ward committees are inaccessible and unappealing to youth, and proposes smart phone applications as a potential solution. Mamphiswana traces the concepts of inclusive innovation and innovation for inclusive development to understand the drivers of these two concepts. Sibanda’s manuscript on ‘Harnessing renewable energy technology (RET) for innovation and sustainable development in the post-COVID-19 era’ responds to the issues heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to inadequate access
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Proceedings of the conference on Public innovation, develoPment and sustainability