URERU in the Media: 2020

This year URERU has continued to build a significant presence in the media. We pride ourselves in producing research and providing insight into important issues that are recognised in the media. We have provided a collection of articles, videos, and opinion pieces that demonstrate how our work is being picked up by the media.

Does Africa need smart cities? Realigning smart city rhetoric in Africa

In this article for the December issue of Asset magazine we look at the emerging smart city discourse across the African continent and question whether technology is going to solve Africa's urban challenges.
 

Learning from the eThekwini Open Data Portal - Evidence-based decision making in Action

As part of the Urban Fest 2020; a month long festival of urban-related topics centred arpund civic empowerment. The festival consisted of 78 virtual events, one of which was a panel discussion that draws upon out research open data in South African municipalities.
 

Post-pandemic Property Trends

Unit Director, Prof François Viruly was interviewed by UCT about at the longer term trends in the South African property market and the impact that COVID-19 is expected to have on this particular sector.
 

 

Malls mauled – but they're not dead yet

This article appeared in the Sunday Times and discusses the future of bricks and mortar retail and the survival of shopping malls that have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

How the pivot to e-commerce is impacting commercial property investment

This article in the Daily Maverick highlights how the adoption of e-commerce and supply chain innovation in a post-COVID-19 world is helping to reshape the commercial property sector in South Africa.
 

Covid work shift doesn’t mean death of the office

Here, we discuss the future of the offices in South Africa's real estate sector. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Prof Viruly explains that despite the difficulties COVID-19 has brought to the office sector, the office still has an important role to play in the South African property market.