Mokoena, Baleseng Tlholohelo2023-08-032023-08-032022https://hdl.handle.net/10539/35787A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of the Built Environment to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, 2023South Africa has had a history of apartheid planning which segregated space and people according to race. Therefore, since democracy began, policies have been created which have sought new ways of planning through integrated and sustainable development, by placing people, especially the poor, in well-located areas. The responsibility placed on policy makers and urban planners post 1994, is however cumbersome and requires a lot of decision making often at all levels. As a result of this, there has been an upsurge in the recent use of technology to create smart cities. This research therefore seeks to explore the usefulness of Planning Support Systems to foster future spatial planning in South Africa by making use of empirical research methods. The results indicate that the biggest challenges in Local Government are a lack of finances, lack of capacity, lack of skill and lastly political will to implement newer and smarter ways of urban planning.enDissertation