Embedding design thinking in transport planning in the Gauteng Provincial Government

Home to over 16 million people and the economic hub of South Africa, Gauteng faces significant and multifaceted transport challenges.

Reliance on private vehicles remains entrenched, while public transport use continues to decline. Rail and bus services suffer from poor reliability and punctuality, and ridership has not recovered to pre-COVID levels. Public transport satisfaction is low across the board. Women, in particular, face heightened vulnerability and safety risks when accessing and using public transport. Meanwhile, budget allocations remain skewed toward road infrastructure and Gautrain operations, with limited investment directed at sustainable or user-centred improvements to the broader public transport network.

This Provocation explores the potential and challenges of integrating design thinking into transport planning, with a particular focus on the Gauteng Provincial Government. Design thinking is a structured, human-centred methodology that places the lived experiences and expressed needs of users at the centre of problem-solving and decision-making. Rather than subordinating user experience to technical specifications or fiscal constraints, it offers a framework for developing transport solutions that are responsive, inclusive, and reflective of the diverse needs of commuters.

The Provocation illustrates how design thinking can be applied across multiple dimensions of transport planning work and makes the case for a meaningful shift in approach, one that begins to address the real, on-the-ground challenges facing transport users in the province.

Leadership is essential for successfully embedding design-thinking in public transport systems internationally. The Provocation draws on global examples to highlight what is possible when institutional culture and leadership align around user-centred values.

The Provocation calls for two substantive responses: deliberate experimentation with design thinking methodologies within South African transport agencies, and further research into how these approaches can be practically embedded within the specific institutional and governance context of Gauteng and the broader South African public transport sector.

This Provocation represents a timely contribution to debates around transport equity, planning reform, and institutional innovation. It will be directly relevant to transport planners, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners engaged with the future of mobility in Gauteng and across South Africa.