South Africa
South African Innovation
Small Business Development
Entrepreneurship

The City of Johannesburg has developed a Smart City Strategy, SCIIP, and an Innovation Framework aimed at modernising service delivery methods. This framework encourages both employees and citizens to innovate, thereby accelerating service delivery. It offers guidance on the approach, methodology, and strategic direction necessary for creating an environment conducive to co-producing innovative, impactful solutions that are effective, visible, and sustainable. 

The purpose of the Innovation Challenge is to: 

  1. Foster a culture of innovation through both significant advancements and incremental improvements. 
  2. Engage residents and employees to collaborate on impactful solutions using their combined ideas. 
  3. Eliminate bureaucratic barriers to enhance innovation in service delivery

To foster innovation among City residents at regional and ward levels within Johannesburg, and to recognise and reward individuals, teams, and community organisations for innovations suitable for local-level piloting; the solutions should: 

  • Address significant issues or bottlenecks experienced by residents daily. 
  • Propose novel approaches, practices, or processes to enhance the delivery of government services to residents. 
  • Cut government costs related to theft, poor governance, vandalism, corruption, etc. 
  • Enhance residents' safety (reduce crime, gender-based violence, etc.), health (address hunger, provide home care, etc.), or overall well-being (mental and physical wellness). 
  • Foster local economic development (create community jobs, support small business growth, etc.). 
  • Promote cleaner streets and improve neighbourhood beautification. 
  • Encourage recycling to reduce waste and support environmental sustainability

Read more about the challenge

Click here to apply. 

Closing date
Industry
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
​Mining and quarrying
​Manufacturing
​Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
​Construction
​Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
​Transportation and storage
Accommodation and food service activities
​Information and communication
Financial and insurance activities
​Real estate activities
Professional, scientific and technical activities
Administrative and support service activities
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
​Education
Human health and social work activities
​Arts, entertainment and recreation
​Other service activities
Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods-and-service-producing activities of households for own use
​Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies, not economically active people, unemployed people etc.