“How do we bring joy to our community kitchens?” asked a young participant at the Urban Food Futures conference which kicked off yesterday in Cape Town. Later in the evening, at a separate event, Kumi Naidoo reminded a captive audience attending this book launch, that “pessimism is a luxury we…

Speaking to my mother about a visit I’m helping facilitate, she made a comment which hasn’t left me. She asked me what I was doing back in Bogota this week and I explained that a few government officials from African and Latin American cities are in town to take part…

A few months ago, I was mugged while running on a Sunday morning in Cape Town. It happened in a place not considered as ‘dangerous’; but I was simply alone at 7am when it was still dark. …

Throwing away organic waste and mixing it with general rubbish is one of those things you are almost physically unable to do once you have learnt to compost. Still, in most cities, this is far from a simple thing to do. …

Over the December break I read a book called ‘Socrates Express’ by Eric Weiner, it is a sort of life manual based on the teachings of a number of philosophers who have long ago left this earth. …

A group of transport academics and activists based in different parts of the Americas convened an online discussion about mobility justice on December 10th, 2020. It was inspired by a document entitled ‘Untokening 1.0 — Principles of Mobility Justice’ produced by a similar group based in the US. The principles…

If anyone had told me that ‘open streets’ (temporary car-free streets) would be part of the discussion in how to tackle a global pandemic, I would have not believed it 6 months ago but a look at social media or transport and urban related articles show that the concept has…

I recently spent a year in Bogotá, Colombia — the longest period of time in the country of my birth since leaving 23 years ago. Being back in South Africa now, the country where I’ve spent most of my adult life, has reminded me that this journey of finding a…

A couple of years ago I contracted a nasty type of flu during a trip, when I returned home my partner, having greater awareness than me, implemented some measures to ensure he didn’t get infected. It led to one of the biggest fights we have had. I felt alone and…