Pretoria: Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane will lead South Africa's delegation to the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan, from 17 to 22 May 2026.
According to South African Government News Agency, the WUF13, convened under the theme 'Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities', aims to raise awareness of sustainable urbanisation among stakeholders and the public. The forum seeks to improve collective knowledge on sustainable urban development through open and inclusive debate, exchange of best practices and policies, and sharing of lessons learned. It also intends to promote collaboration and cooperation among different stakeholders engaged in the advancement and implementation of sustainable urbanisation.
The WUF13 is expected to highlight the urgent need to address the global housing crisis, positioning housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development. South Africa's participation comes amid continued urban growth, with recent data indicating that the country's urbanisation rate has reached 68.82%, up from over 60% at the time of adopting the New Urban Agenda, and projected to hit 71.3% by 2030.
While urbanisation in South Africa has created opportunities for economic and social development, it has also contributed to persistent spatial inequality, challenges in basic services delivery, infrastructure backlogs, and overburdened municipal governance systems. Informal land use, housing, and livelihoods present significant developmental, policy, and management challenges within urban spaces, highlighting both the dynamic nature of urbanisation and the limitations of current planning and service-delivery systems.
WUF13 will explore how housing can advance inclusion, equity, and resilience, focusing on practical solutions that connect homes to broader urban systems. This includes integrated planning, climate adaptation, land and tenure security, inclusive governance, and locally driven action.
The South African delegation aims to play a significant role through participation in dialogue, roundtable discussions, Ministerial bilateral meetings, and stakeholder engagements, placing the country at the centre of global discussions aimed at finding lasting solutions to the world housing crises. The delegation will include representatives from all spheres of government, the Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, entities within the human settlements sector, Members of Executive Councils (MECs), the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), mayors and Members of Mayoral Committees (MMCs) responsible for human settlements from all metropolitan municipalities, as well as civil society and academia.