By Phiwa Sikhondze
The Eswatini Town Planners Association and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development yesterday hosted a commemoration event for World Town Planning Day at the George Hotel.
The commemoration was aimed at learning from global experts and celebrating their achievements in the field of town planning and development.
The event, organized under the theme, “Learn Globally, Apply Locally” featured two guest speakers: Ms. Olayifin Taiwo, a chartered town planner based in the United Kingdom leading the Commonwealth Association of Planners and Dr. Mfaniseni Sihlongonyane, a professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand and a member of the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN).
They shared their insights and experiences on how to foster innovative, sustainable, and equitable solutions to address global challenges faced within the space of town planning and development, such as urbanization, climate change, poverty, inequality, and human rights.
In her remarks, Taiwo explained the significance of exploring multiple approaches in addressing urban challenges.
“Learning globally fosters innovation and creativity, leading to opportunities and resource harnessing beyond regional boundaries,” she said.
The town planning experts also highlighted the importance of learning from planning cultures globally, and adapting them to the local needs and realities of Eswatini.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Simon Zwane said that he was looking forward to learning from the global perspectives and hoped that the participants would be able to come up with sustainable and efficient solutions for planning in the country.
He also reiterated government’s commitment to promoting sustainable development, especially the Sustainable Development Goal 11 focused on making human settlements and cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
“As Government, through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development we continue to note the challenges presented by urbanization in the country and we remain committed to improving and managing these effects through the development and implementation of legislation and policies aimed at promoting sustainable development. Particularly, the Ministry is committed to working towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 focused towards making human settlements and cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” Zwane said.
He also pledged the Ministry’s support to the Eswatini Town Planners Association, which was officially registered and launched last year, and expressed his willingness to collaborate with various stakeholders and institutions that would assist in advancing planning efforts and programs in the country.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Council of Manzini, Zweli Maphanga highlighted the achievements of the municipality in launching and officiating its town planning scheme, which is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11.
He said that the town planners in the municipality played a crucial role in achieving this milestone and that the municipality was looking forward to growing the association to ensure that all the cities in the kingdom of Eswatini achieve resilient structural urban aesthetics and harness resilient community.