Using systems dynamics to support a city’s growth and development strategy (GDS): A city of Johannesburg case study

Abstract

The Growth and Development Strategy 2040 (GDS2040) envisions a transportation system that contributes to the resilience of the city and breaks the apartheid spatial form. The implementation of a cost-effective, dependable, safe, and efficient mass public transportation system is central to GDS2040. To this end, the GDS2040 states that "by the year 2040, the City will be pedestrian- and public transportation-oriented." According to GDS2040, this will manifest as reduced reliance on private automobile travel, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and increased inclusiveness. The GDS2040 also acknowledges that transport solutions can only be effective if they are incorporated into a broader set of solutions that includes improved spatial planning, intergovernmental relations, and enhanced state capacity. This paper investigates the use of system dynamics to model the city's transportation system in support of GDS2040 to bring about a sustainable transport system.