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Stuff from Johannesburg

Joburg Launches Metroview Tool

The City of Johannesburg’s Environment & Infrastructure Services Department (EISD), through its Air Quality and Climate Change Unit supported by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), has convened a Town Hall Conference of Parties (COP) aimed at validating the revised Climate Action Plan (CAP) and align future municipal policies with stakeholder priorities.

The review, carried out between October 2025 and September 2026, incorporates updated greenhouse gas inventories, a revised climate risk and vulnerability assessment, and cross-departmental reviews to evaluate progress on the city’s climate targets.

Supported by the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) programme, the CAP review is being implemented alongside Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), with participation from C40 Cities.

Delivering the keynote address, Executive Mayor Cllr Dada Morero said climate action is directly linked to everyday municipal services.

“Climate action is not separated from service delivery; climate action is service delivery,” Morero said.

“When we strengthen water security, protect roads from flooding, improve stormwater systems, reduce energy insecurity, manage waste, improve our air quality, and protect vulnerable communities, we are delivering better services.”

“Climate change is no longer a future challenge; it is a present-day reality affecting our economy, infrastructure, natural environment, and communities,” Cllr Morero added.

During the Town Hall CoP, the city launched its interactive Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Tool – Metroview, designed to provide spatial climate risk data to guide municipal decision-making.

The assessment projects that by 2050, more than 161,000 residents, 33,000 buildings, and 800km of road infrastructure in Johannesburg could face severe flooding risks alongside increased heat, wildfires, and water insecurity.

Dorah Marema, Portfolio Head of Municipal Sustainability at SALGA, said the conference marks a shift from planning to implementation.

“Climate action will not be achieved by government alone nor by technical plans that remain on paper,” Marema said. “It will be achieved when municipalities, businesses, communities, academia, development partners, and residents work together.”

Lebo Molefe, the city’s Director for Climate Change and Air Quality, highlighted the urgency of meeting national regulatory frameworks.

“With global warming set to cross 1.5 degrees Celsius, our CAP update anticipates the Climate Change Act’s requirements for municipal climate needs assessments and response plans,” Molefe said, calling for active community participation in delivering solutions.

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The Wilds: A Sanctuary of Stone and Steel

The Wilds was officially opened to the public in 1938, carved out of the rocky “koppies” (hills) of the Witwatersrand. Unlike the manicured lawns of the city’s more traditional parks, The Wilds was designed to showcase South Africa’s botanical heritage. It is a vertical garden of sorts, featuring steep stone paths that wind through forests of yellowwood trees, proteas, and ancient cycads. At its highest point, the reserve offers one of the most spectacular views of the Johannesburg skyline, where the brutalist towers of Hillbrow seem to rise directly out of the prehistoric-looking vegetation.

However, like many of Johannesburg’s public spaces, The Wilds fell into a period of deep neglect during the late 1990s and early 2000s. As crime rates rose and the city’s maintenance budgets shifted, the reserve became overgrown and was perceived as a “no-go zone.” The waterfalls stopped running, the stone paths crumbled, and the once-vibrant greenhouse became a skeletal ruin. For nearly two decades, this incredible piece of real estate sat largely abandoned, used only by a few brave locals and the occasional film crew looking for a “wilderness” setting within city limits.