Already more than half of the world population is living in large cities. The World Bank has stated that the growth of (mega) cities is immense; some African cities are growing more than 10% in population annually. That is without a doubt the highest percentage ever recorded. What does this mean in terms of public service delivery? What consequences do these densities have for government? How do governments balance equity and equality in these cities? What are the investments needed to ensure a balanced community? How can planning and delivery on the scale of these cities or (mega) city regions cope with challenges and tensions between the realms of people, planet and profit?

These questions were the central theme of the 14th International Winelands Conference of the School of Public Leadership of the University of Stellenbosch. The conference produced a great variety of papers and discussions which are bundled in this volume. It presents a comprehensive view of the relation between governance, urbanization and the complexity of the issues at stake.