Ntombini Marrengane

Coordinator: African Urban Research Initiative

ntombini.marrengane@uct.ac.za https://africanurbanresearchinitiative.net/

Projects

• State of the Cities in Africa
• The State of Ethiopian Cities
• State of Ghanaian Cities
• African Urban Research Initiative (AURI)
• Mistra Urban Futures
• UrbanAfrica.net
• Africa Peer Learning, Knowledge and Dissemination Programme
• Governance dynamics of "turn-around" cities (Lagos, Luanda & Johannesburg)

Bio

My main research interests is urban governance in African cities. I am particularly interested in the institutional mechanisms available to the state at the sub-national level to design, implement and monitor access to basic services in contexts where traditional authorities maintain a presence in the midst of urbanisation. I am also  very interested in how  states and cities collect, analyse and use locally generated data in order to make evidenced-based decisions to address the development challenges at local level. This may include but is not limited to demographic trends, urban land use dynamics and the nature of urban economy within the informal and formal spaces. Additionally I am interested in the role of sub-national government in mitigating long-term development challenges which include HIV & AIDS and food security. Major themes that currently feature on my research agenda include:

1. Defining Africa’s Urban Agenda
2. Role of Local Government in Mitigating HIV & AIDS in the Urban Context
3. Tensions between traditional authorities and administrative local governments in African cities
4. Vulnerability and Food Security in High HIV & AIDS Prevalence Urban Settings