CAPACITY BUILDING

Capacity Building Programme Aims To Reduce Poverty Through LED Best-Practice

The Limpopo LED Programme is implementing a comprehensive R15million Capacity Building Programme to support key decision makers in their efforts to develop local economies.

All of Limpopo's 30 district and local municipalities will be able to draw on the 18-month programme launched in July, 2007. In addition, six municipalities covering key provincial growth points will benefit from additional specialised training and support. A tool kit setting out local economic development best-practice and tailored to Limpopo's needs will also be made available to municipalities.

The Capacity Building Programme is designed to meet the critical challenge of creating new jobs by supporting municipalities to establish an investor-friendly climate in their areas through developing sound LED strategies and plans. Presently, many municipalities lack the necessary skills and understanding to play
this important role. Often described as the "unfunded mandate", LED is not always a high priority on Municipal Manager's radar screens.

"LED is too often considered as a side issue," explains Limpopo LED Programme Team Leader Tim Wilkinson. "LED should be seen as a core activity and the most effective means of meeting the biggest single challenge we face: reducing poverty.

"In allocating their resources, municipalities should ensure that this is done in such a way that it maximises opportunities for growth and facilitates investment. This, in turn, creates jobs and opportunities, and reduces poverty".

The Capacity Building Programme is closely aligned to the LED policies and priorities of national government and the Limpopo Provincial Government. It also complements the overall objective of the Limpopo LED Programme: to promote and facilitate pro-poor economic growth, and to create sustainable jobs through commercially viable initiatives.

Beneficiaries of the Capacity Building Programme will include provincial and municipal leaders involved in LED, sector, business and civil society organisations, and traditional leaders.

The Capacity Building Programme aims to:

* Strengthen the planning and crafting of District LED strategies Local Municipality LED plans leading to:

- Greater ownership through participation by all LED stakeholders in the LED planning process.

- Strategically more coherent LED strategies that take cognizance of spatial planning and Integrated Development Plans.

- Practical and implementable action plans with resource needs identified and allocated.

- Increased capacity of municipalities to deliver effective LED services.

* Improve the capacity of the Limpopo Department of Local Government & Housing and District Municipalities to provide effective guidance and support to facilitate LED in municipalities, including the provision of necessary services and infrastructure to enhance LED.

* Strengthen the ability to manage and deliver on the LED strategy, including the increased use of performance indicators to measure effectiveness in LED strategy development and delivery in chosen organisations.

* Create greater understanding and awareness of LED in the province, including the role that should be played by different stakeholders.

The Capacity Building Programme has a particularly strong focus on district municipalites because they are expected to play a pivotal role in co-ordinating and leading implementation of LED.

At District Municipality level, the Capacity Building Programme will focus on reviewing the LED strategies of Capricorn and Mopani and on studying and learning from the LED strategies of Vhembe and Waterberg.

While Limpopo's 25 local municipalities will be able to benefit from training under the Capacity Building Programme, additional training will be offered to five which are ranked as key provincial growth points. The five local municipalities are:

* Polokwane, Limpopo's capital city which is developing as a regional business and service centre, and logistics hub.

* Lephalale (formerly Ellisras) in western Limpopo where the Waterberg coal field containing 50% of South Africa's remaining coal reserves is located. Lephalale is set for rapid growth following Eskom's decision to build a new, R26 billion electricity generation plant close to its Matimba power station near the town. This is driving expansion of coal mining in the area and keen interest in establishing Sasol-type coal-to-liquids, gas-to-liquids and petro-chemical plants.

* Tzaneen which lies in the heart of one of South Africa's premier agricultural districts.

* Tubatse in which Burgersfort is expanding rapidly as a service centre for large-scale expansion of platinum mining in the nearby Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex.

* Thabazimbi, the mining and tourism hub in south western Limpopo.

The Capacity Building Programme aims to support Thabazimbi to develop a new LED plan. The Programme will focus on strengthening the municipal LED units of the growth points and on assisting local stakeholders, such as the business community and civil society organisations, to obtain a better understanding of LED and their role in developing their local economies.

The tool kit, which will be developed and refined as the Capacity Building Programme rolls out, will include such information as:

* What is a local economy and how it works.

* What is a good LED strategy, including "how to" guidelines.

* Guidelines for implementing LED strategies.

* What is a good LED plan.

* The institutional framework for LED in Limpopo.

* Roles and functions of the municipal LED units.

* Roles, functions, powers and composition of LED forums.

* Guidelines for facilitating LED processes.

* Specialised information on:
- Making markets work for the poor.
- Improving competitiveness of sectors in municipalities.
- Improving the business environment.

Councillors of Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality in celebratory mood after undertaking an intensive four day LED Capacity Building training course in Groblersdal. Seen here are (front row, second from left) Fiona Martin who conducted the course with principal trainer Zini Godden (second from right); Khashane Shumani, deputy manager of LED planning and research in the Limpopo Department of Local Government & Housing; Elias Motsoaledi mayor Lionel Seloane; and Mpubane Mathebe, the municipality's LED officer.

Implementation of a R15 million programme to improve Limpopo communities' ability to boost their local economies is well underway.

The first of a series of Local Economic Development (LED) Capacity Building training programmes has ben held, with 25 councillors of the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality undertaking an intensive four day course in this southern Limpopo area in December 2007.

All municipalities in Limpopo will be able to benefit from the LED Capacity Building Programme. The initiative is part of the R300 million Limpopo LED Programme which is being funded by the European Union and implemented by the Limpopo Department of Local Government & Housing.

The Capacity Building Programme supports municipalities to develop sound LED strategies and plans. It also aims to strengthen municipalities' current weak ability to implement their strategies and plans and to create investor-friendly environments in their areas.

The Capacity Building Programme caters for all stakeholders: municipal and civil society leaders as well as the private sector.

During their four day course, Elias Motsoaledi councillors obtained a thorough understanding of international trends in LED, South African policies, the roles and responsibilities of local stakeholders, identifying local competitive advantages, the importance of retaining and building on existing business as well as attracting new investment, and ways of facilitating LED.

They were also asked to put into practice what they had learned. Councillors were divided into groups, with each of them challenged to come up with a "quick-win" LED initiative they could begin implementing on their return to work.

Initiatives included infrastructure development which could benefit business and deliver community services, and an agri-business venture to add value to the area's competitive advantage in agriculture.

Farmers in the area, situated in the Olifants River valley, annually turn over some R250 million, producing table grapes, citrus, wheat, tobacco and soya beans on 28,000 hectares under irrigation. The area also has an enterprising tourism industry and a small-scale mining sector.

Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality councillors in spirited debate during the Limpopo LED Programme capacity building training course. Looking on is principal trainer Zini Godden (centre).

For more information, please contact:

Alfred Netshifhefhe: Department of Local Government & Housing.
Tel: +27 (0)15 294 2300; Fax: +27 (0)15 295 8260.
E-mail: netshifhefhema@limdlgh.gov.za

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