Urbanisation is characterised by the high consumption of nonrenewable resources and being resource-intensive in meeting the energy demands of the growing urban population. The growth compels the efficient management of urbanisation to mitigate climate change. The inability to effectively plan and manage urbanisation will result in high consumption of nonrenewable resources, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollution, which contribute to the intensification of climate change. Complexity theory as a theoretical framework asserts that the management of urbanisation is both complex and nonlinear. This means that the management of urbanisation cannot be done by reducing the system into individual components. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research. The data were collected from the four areas around the City of Polokwane and officials from the Polokwane Local Municipality. The finding of the study is that the City of Polokwane is still facing multiple challenges such as traffic congestion, lack of community participation, illegal dumping of wastes and a decline in green spaces. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality has made inroads towards reducing traffic congestion through the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) (Leeto la Polokwane). It can be concluded that urbanisation in the City of Polokwane is not effectively planned and managed to address climate change.Contribution: This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems.

The paper aims to evaluate the prospects of building a sustainable city to address urban sprawl in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. This paper focuses on SDG 11, which is concerned with making sustainable cities and communities. Its objective is to make cities and other populated areas more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable in the long run. Examining some of the problems that impede the SDGs from being accomplished, urbanisation emerges as one of the most significant human endeavours, affecting the standard of urban living and its long-term development in most developing countries. In developing countries, many cities have been burdened with a new normal and culture of growth, driven by urban sprawl, which has led to the sustainable city strategy gaining popularity in recent years. Urbanisation is increasing at an unprecedented rate in many developing countries, threatening the achievement of SDGs due to the proliferation of urban sprawl. Currently, urban areas are home to over 50 % of the world’s population. It is projected, that by 2045 urban areas will be home to more 6 billion people. These have placed severe constraints on local governments, who should be developing sustainable cities and communities in response to urban development to fulfil SDG 11. This makes it impossible to achieve SDG 11 by the projected deadline of 2030. This paper argues that without fundamentally changing how cities are built, developed and populated, sustainability in urban areas cannot be realised. This paper suggests that adequate and ready policy and legislative frameworks are needed to promote sustainable development and prevent urban sprawl in cities.

The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the dynamics of implementing climate change objectives within the South African local government. Climate change has been intensifying over the years and cities are recognised to be vulnerable. The promulgation of various acts and plans, such as the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), Spatial Planning and Land Use and Management Act (SPLUMA), National Urban Development Framework and Integrated Development Plan (IDP), is to ensure environmental protection inclusive of climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, the multiplicity of challenges, such as budgetary constraints, lack of political will, capacitated personnel, coupled with service delivery backlogs, deter the commitment by the municipality to implement measures to adapt and mitigate climate change. The persistence of climate change effects around the city has reduced the resilience of South African cities. The resilient theory asserts that cities must have the ability to operate post any perturbation. The adaptation to climate change around the city is important to ensure the system’s ability to be resilient. The study found that the multiplicity of factors, interplaying within the City of Polokwane, demonstrates difficulties to adapt and mitigating climate change. The study concludes that the employment of solar systems, maintenance of drainage systems and proper planning are key determinants of affective planning in an attempt to mitigate and adapt to climate change

Contribution: This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems.