Talking Transformation

About Talking Transformation

An open conversation addressing contemporary city building and spatial transformation issues in South Africa.

Publisher

Pete Ahmad

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Jul 2019

Latest episode

17 Dec 2025

Latest episodes

104 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Dec 2025

   TTPod 5.4: "Journey of a Candidate Town Planner" - In Conversation with Tunisia Cassim

   This TTPod episode is a perfect example of the kind of conversation we want to amplify on this platform. I'm joined online from Tshwane by Tunisia Cassim, recently recognised as one of the South African Council for Planners’ Top 30 Women in Planning for 2025. Tunisia’s journey is truly inspiring and reflective of many of the challenges young planners face. She shares her early days navigating bursaries and retrenchments, to the resilience and perseverance needed during the COVID-era, JUST when her career was changing gears. And more recently we share in the celebration of her recently completed Master of Science in Planning at Wits. Her story is about more than professional milestones—it’s about resilience, mentorship, and the passion to connect theory with practice in the planning profession.  She is a tireless champion and emerging mentor for young planners through her widely followed LinkedIn journal, Journey of a Candidate Town Planner. Tunisia reflects on the giants who shaped her path, the importance of bursaries and supportive educators, and the realities of building a career in a shifting urban landscape. Her reflections on resilience, mentorship, and the intersection of theory and practice remind us why these conversations matter. So settle in as we explore the lessons, challenges, and triumphs of a planner whose voice is helping redefine the future of the profession in South Africa. Recorded: Friday 12th December 2025

2. 

   14 Nov 2025

   TTPod 5.3: "The Other Side of the Tracks" In Conversation with Transnet Executive - Yolisa Kani

   In this TTPod episode we’re catching up with someone who’s become a real friend of the podcast and a standout leader in South Africa’s public sector: Yolisa Kani. She’s back with me in Cape Town, bringing her trademark energy and a wealth of experience from both government and the private sector. If you’ve followed Yolisa’s journey, you’ll know she’s spent decades at the forefront of transformation—blending policy, stakeholder negotiation, and commercial leadership to drive real change in how people and goods move across the country. After a four-year stint leading public policy for Uber in Southern Africa she re-entered the public sector, taking on the pivotal role of Chief Business Development Officer at Transnet. In this episode she reflects on: * The launch of LeaseCo, which aims to mobilize rolling stock, invite third-party operators, and free up strategic assets for broader development. * The cultural and leadership shifts happening within Transnet—and what that means for customers, cities, and the economy over the next 12 to 36 months. * Practical steps being taken to turn surplus Transnet property into real urban opportunities, and how the company is responding to calls for more flexible, mixed-use developments near transport nodes. We conclude with Yolisa’s candid reflections on the challenges ahead, the importance of collaboration between public and private sectors, and the milestones set for the coming year—including the ambitious targets for LeaseCo and the broader reforms designed to get more freight off the roads and onto rail. So, settle in for a conversation that’s as insightful as it is inspiring. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode. Recorded 20th October 2025

3. 

   18 Aug 2025

   TTPod 5.2: "The Chaos Precinct" - In conversation with Author and Planner, Dr. Tanya Zack

   Welcome back to the Talking Transformation Podcast! We'redelighted to welcome back Tanya Zack, a renowned urban planner and author, joining us from Johannesburg. Tanya first graced our podcast in February 2023 when shediscussed her book "Wake Up, This is Joburg!", a fascinatingexploration of inner-city Johannesburg urban landscape and the vibrant communities operating within that space. In this episode, Tanya is here to talk about her latestbook, "The Chaos Precinct", set in the so-called, 'Ethiopian Quarter' in the inner city of Johannesburg, a vibrant area known for its cross-border shopping. This precinct, pioneered by Ethiopian migrants, has transformed theCBD’s office towers into bustling shopping centers filled with small, cupboard-sized shops. These shops, which sell fast fashion, have repurposed whatwere once medical buildings into a thriving commercial hub. The book delves into the dynamic and ever-evolving urban spaces of Johannesburg, offering deep insights into the lives of the people who live and work there. It explores theeconomic potential of this area and the challenges faced by its inhabitants, providing a compelling narrative of transformation and resilience, policing and governance: identity and belonging. This is the second book Tanya has discussed on the TalkingTransformation podcast, and we couldn't be more excited to hear about her latest work. "The Chaos Precinct" promises to be another compelling read, offering deep insights into the dynamic and ever-evolving urban spaces of Johannesburg. For those of you watching this via YouTube, you’ll also getto see some of the images included in the book, celebrating another collaboration with photographer Mark Lewis, our co-guest back in 2023 when we first discussed Joburg with Tanya. Orders for "The Chaos Precinct", published byJacana Media, can be made via: https://jacana.co.za/product/the-chaos-precinct-johannesburg-as-a-port-city/ (https://jacana.co.za/product/the-chaos-precinct-johannesburg-as-a-port-city/) Email the Talking Transformation Podcast ontalkingtransformation101@gmail.com Find us on Bluse Sky @TTpod Recorded: 17th July 2025

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