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City of Johannesburg Named Official Host City Partner for Smarter Mobility Africa 2025

City of Johannesburg joins host city partner for Smarter Mobility Africa.

City of Johannesburg Named Official Host City Partner for Smarter Mobility Africa 2025

The City of Johannesburg has officially been announced as the Host City Partner for Smarter Mobility Africa 2025, taking place from 1–2 October 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Now in its seventh year, Smarter Mobility Africa (SMA) is the continent’s leading platform for mobility and transport innovation. The summit brings together senior city officials, transport operators, technology innovators, investors, and policymakers to accelerate the shift toward more inclusive, clean, and efficient mobility systems across Africa.

“Johannesburg is a city of movement – of goods, people, ideas, and opportunity.”

In accepting the role as Host City Partner, Lutando Maboza, Executive Director for the City of Johannesburg, stated:

“We are proud to be the Host City Partner for Smarter Mobility Africa 2025. Johannesburg is a city of movement – of goods, people, ideas, and opportunity. Hosting this landmark event allows us to showcase our commitment to modern, resilient, and people-centred transport systems that enable inclusive growth and sustainable urban living.”

This milestone highlights Johannesburg’s ongoing transformation into a world-class African city through bold transport investments and forward-looking policies. The city continues to make strides across multiple fronts, including electric buses, minibus taxi digitalisation, traffic management systems, cycling infrastructure, and transit-oriented development.

A Platform for Innovation, Investment & Impact

Smarter Mobility Africa 2025 will convene 100+ speakers, 50+ exhibitors, and thousands of attendees over three days of conference sessions, exhibitions, workshops, and site visits. The programme aligns with October Transport Month and Africa Mobility Month, providing a powerful backdrop to celebrate progress and drive new action.

• Fleet Electrification – Scaling EVs, buses, and charging infrastructure across cities and fleets
• Public Transport – Strengthening formal and informal networks with better contracts and smarter funding
• Mobility Investment Projects – Live pitching of bankable solutions for cities, operators, and financiers. Powered by the Transport Authority of Gauteng
• Data & Payments – Digitising public transport through real-time insights and cashless payment systems
• Minibus & Bus Reform – Digitalising and integrating to unlock new mobility business models
• Women in Mobility Programme – Empowering diverse leadership across Africa’s mobility sector. Powered by uYilo eMobility Programme
• Training & Workshops – covering electric and hybrid vehicle awareness and green transport, powered by ChrisnelSA and the University of Johannesburg
• CEO High Level Dialogue – Focused on the question of “How do we enable true integration across South Africa’s transport modes?”, this is powered by The Global Trust Project, Standard Bank, and Masterdrive

The summit is organised by VUKA Group, a purpose-driven organisation committed to accelerating Africa’s growth by connecting key industries through events and content.

JRA & Infrastructure Transformation

Supporting the Host City partnership, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) will also participate as a key infrastructure custodian. Zweli Nyathi, CEO of JRA, noted:

“The JRA is transforming our infrastructure to meet the demands of a modern city. Smarter Mobility Africa is a critical platform for us to share our journey and adopt game-changing innovations. We are actively embracing AI, green energy, and advanced technologies to manage traffic, reduce infrastructure theft, and create a seamless experience for road users.”

Smarter Mobility Africa 2025

30 SEPT: Workshops | 1–2 OCT: SMA Summit (Main Event)  
Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

View the full SMA 2025 programme 

Read the full press release here  

About the author

Ben Pullen
Group Director of Mobility, VUKA Group 

Ben Pullen

Ben Pullen is a leader in advancing smarter mobility with over a decade of experience in improving how we move people and goods. He has pioneered the continent's top smarter mobility summit, bringing together key stakeholders to drive the adoption of smarter, cleaner, and more accessible mobility solutions. Ben's work has enabled global brands like Alstom, BMW, and Huawei ...