SA's streets were built for cars, not for people. The Active Mobility Forum exists to change that.

The Active Mobility Forum is a cross-sector coalition advancing walking, cycling and other forms of micromobility. AMF brings together civil society, government, the private sector, organisations and individuals under one banner to improve active mobility and create streets that work for everyone.

South Africa’s transport system still prioritises private vehicles. This creates unsafe and inaccessible streets for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users. Change has been slow because advocacy is fragmented, decision-making is often slow, and many residents who want to walk or cycle fear for their safety.

The cost is real. Cape Town is the most congested city in South Africa, with travel times and carbon emissions growing fast. The City’s own Transport Directorate has found that congestion costs Cape Town R2.8 billion a year, while lower-income residents can spend up to 45 percent of their monthly household expenditure on transport.

AMF responds by uniting diverse voices, supporting research-led advocacy, engaging government and policy makers, and pushing for public investment in walking, cycling and non-motorised transport infrastructure. It also creates visible public moments and on-street demonstrations that decision-makers cannot ignore.

AMF works across three lanes of action: public-facing advocacy through rides, forums, workshops and campaigns, backroom advocacy through strategic engagement with government and partners, and on-street advocacy through street experiments on Bree Street, in Langa, at Berkeley and Albert, and on Adderley.

Our work includes the Safe Passage Programme, Safe Mobility Hub and Street Experiments SA. These tools help test safer street designs, support micromobility, improve road safety and build practical public-private partnership models for better streets.

AMF was founded in 2022 through a partnership between Cape Town’s Bicycle Mayor, Sindile Mavundla, and Young Urbanists, a community of people in their 20s and 30s with diverse knowledge and a shared passion for spatial justice and thriving cities in South Africa.

AMF is collaborative, supportive and evidence-led. We believe streets are public spaces, safety and access must not depend on income or location, and real-world demonstration is one of the most powerful ways to build change.

We are only getting started. We need your help. Join the ride.

1. Young Urbanists NPC Manifesto 2. AMF 3.0 Pitch Deck Public - coming soon