Creating Smart Cities Through Digital Transformation | Thivhilaeli Madamalala

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, Nathi Mcetywa interviews Thivhilaeli Madamalala from Pulego Technologies about their innovative Co-City Citizens Engagement Application. The discussion covers Pulego Technologies' origins, the Co-City app's functionality, its impact on citizen engagement, and the importance of partnerships with municipalities. Thivhilaeli shares insights on the challenges of selling to government entities, the significance of data ownership, and the future expansion plans for the application. The conversation highlights the role of technology in enhancing governance and citizen participation in Africa.

Key Takeaways
-The African Union Civic Tech Fund supports innovative civic tech solutions.
-Pulego Technologies focuses on creating impactful technologies for smart cities.
-The Co-City app allows citizens to report issues directly to the city.
-User feedback is integral to the app's functionality and improvement.
-The app has evolved since its initial launch in 2013.
-Partnerships with municipalities are crucial for the app's success.
-Monitoring and evaluation processes are built into the app for accountability.
-Data ownership is important for protecting sensitive information.
-Success is measured by the adoption and effectiveness of the solution.
-Selling to municipalities involves longer sales cycles compared to private sectors.