Cisco bets on partnerships to help reshape Joburg

Cisco has chosen Johannesburg as one of only 40 communities worldwide where it plans to focus its social impact programme over the next decade, making it the first African city selected for the initiative.

Rather than launching a standalone technology project, the networking giant is tying its strategy to Jozi My Jozi, the organisation leading efforts to regenerate Johannesburg’s inner city through partnerships between business, civil society and government.

For Brian Tippens, Cisco senior vice president and chief social impact and sustainability officer, that decision reflects the philosophy behind the 40 Communities initiative.

“We embarked on the 40 Communities journey a couple of years ago as we thought about our previous goal of positively impacting one billion lives,” Tippens told Gadget in an exclusive interview. “We asked ourselves how, over the next 10 years, we could contribute to developing 40 connected, resilient and thriving communities.”

He admitted the company did not begin with a detailed roadmap.

“Quite honestly, we didn’t know exactly how we were going to get there. That’s often the nature of ambitious goals: you set the destination before you know every step along the way.

“We started with communities where Cisco already had a meaningful presence and long-standing relationships. We announced our first communities in Western North Carolina, where we’ve since played an important role in rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, and then moved to Mumbai, India, which was another strategic location for future investment.”

Johannesburg quickly emerged as a natural candidate.

“We have a long history of doing business here, a growing customer base and an expanding employee presence. We also saw a community that could benefit from the things Cisco does particularly well, including digital skills development, investing in young people, and building partnerships.”

The strength of the local ecosystem proved equally important.

“We know we can’t do this alone. We need partners who understand their communities, and Johannesburg has no shortage of them. The city also has strong leadership that is well connected within the community and can help us on this journey.”

Finding the right local partner became the next priority. For Cisco, the answer was Jozi My Jozi.

“One of the guiding principles behind 40 Communities is recognising that we don’t arrive with all the answers,” Tippens said. “The worst thing we could do is fly in from Silicon Valley and tell Johannesburg what it needs.”

“Our philosophy is to become closely connected to communities and understand what they need before proposing solutions. As we began talking to partners, it quickly became clear that Jozi My Jozi had already done much of the work.

“They’re deeply embedded in the community. They understand the city’s history, its economic disparities and the challenges it faces. They’d already brought together an ecosystem of partners and had a clear understanding of where the greatest needs were and where Cisco could add value.”

“That meant we didn’t have to arrive saying, ‘Here’s what we can offer.’ Instead, we could ask, ‘What do you need?’ and build on the foundation that already existed.”

Tippens also singled out 44 Main, the landmark building that has become the centrepiece of Jozi My Jozi’s activities.

“They’ve done an exceptional job with 44 Main. That building carries tremendous historical significance, and transforming it into the centre of Johannesburg’s revitalisation makes this partnership especially meaningful.”

A memorandum of understanding signed this week establishes four initial areas of collaboration:

• “One of the biggest challenges in revitalising any central business district is improving public safety. Cisco is bringing technology that can help manage street lighting, deploy intelligent cameras and use AI to improve monitoring and response.
• “Many people working in the CBD rely on taxis and minibuses every day. We want to connect those vehicles so passengers have internet access during their journeys. Beyond the convenience for commuters, connected vehicles generate valuable data. That information can improve traffic management, strengthen public safety and create AI-driven insights into how people move through the city.”
• Digital skills development forms the third pillar: “Cisco’s Networking Academy has been operating for 25 years, offering training in networking, cybersecurity, AI and other digital technologies,” Tippens said. “We recently celebrated our 600,000th learner in South Africa. Through Jozi My Jozi and its existing partners, we’ll expand those programmes and invest in initiatives such as RLabs to support youth skills development and entrepreneurship.”
• The fourth area may be the least obvious: “South Africa has an extraordinary culture of giving, but much of that activity happens informally and isn’t measured. We’re working with a nonprofit that has developed a blockchain-based platform that can track charitable giving. That not only encourages more people to give, but also helps identify where support is needed most, allowing us to target interventions more effectively.”

“Those are our first four priorities, but this is only the beginning. We see significant opportunities to expand the partnership over time.”

Mike Mpanya, Cisco country digital acceleration lead for Africa, said the Johannesburg initiative brought together programmes that have already been running independently across the company.

“When Brian’s team introduced the vision for 40 Communities, we immediately recognised how well it aligned with Cisco’s mission of powering an inclusive future for all,” he said. “We’re a global company of around 90,000 people, but when we commit ourselves to a goal, we bring the full strength of the organisation behind it.

“Looking at Johannesburg, we asked ourselves what technologies and capabilities Cisco could contribute to help reimagine the city. Our thinking wasn’t about bringing in outside solutions, but about accelerating the excellent work that was already happening.”

Jozi My Jozi’s vision, he said, made the partnership an obvious fit.

“Jozi My Jozi shared a vision of creating a precinct where young Africans can develop the skills they’ll need for the future, centred on one of Johannesburg’s most historic buildings. That aligned perfectly with Cisco’s strengths.”