GeoJozi focuses on address solutions

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is calling on developers with an interest in apps, maps, data, urban development, cities or technology to enter the 2016 GeoJozi Developer Challenge.

The challenge calls on developers aged 30 or under to help the CoJ to improve its systems of allocating and maintaining addresses across the 1,644-square-kilometre municipality.

The challenge will be run for the first time this year by the CoJ in partnership with Wits University’s Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) and mapping software company, Esri South Africa.

“An address can change your life. Addresses specify points of service delivery. They are essential for electricity, water, refuse, sewage, emergency services, land ownership, parcel deliveries, safety and security, being able to vote and countless other critical services and functions,” said Ms Marcelle Hattingh, director of corporate geo-informatics for the CoJ.

Street addresses and locations are used as fundamental tools for managing cities.

But with rapid urbanisation, local governments face increasingly complex and fast-changing urban landscapes that need to be effectively managed to serve their residents.

“As the world becomes more digitised, more real-time data about cities is becoming available. This data can help to manage cities better and make them smarter,” said Ms Hattingh.

“A street address informs us of location, and that is where Geographic Information System (GIS) comes in. It’s all about a specific position or the coordinates on earth,” said Prof Barry Dwolatzky, director of JCSE at Wits University.

Prof Dwolatzky said this will create exciting opportunities for creating smart cities, modern urban development and 21st-century city management.

The GeoJozi Challenge will be hosted at Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, the city’s newest high-tech address.

The winning solution will earn its creator R150 000.

Second and third places are worth R100 000 and R50 000 respectively.

The winning ideas may also be implemented by the City of Johannesburg.

“This initiative will encourage young developers to develop their skills in location technology. As the technology partner of the GeoJozi Challenge, Esri will be providing the location platform on which the GeoJozi contestants will develop their solutions. It will consist of toolkits for the development and data on which the contestants can base their solutions for the street addresses and location issues. We are right behind the City’s efforts to create location awareness. Entrants will also receive free training and great learning opportunities,” said Mr Patrick McKivergan, managing director of Esri South Africa.

Developers who are interested are encouraged to register on www.geojozi.joburg by August 31.