Economic Development and Planning

Objectives

• To ensure alignment between the NSDP, PGDS (National and Provincial Planning) and improve sector involvement in IDP process.
• To support the development of “credible IDP’S” within municipalities within the DPLG’S guiding framework on IDP’s
• Lobby for support to Municipalities that lacks skills in planning and formulating credible IDP’s
• Legislation related to town planning exists, but overlap and is un-coordinated - engagement and lobby  for appropriate legislations such as Land Use Management Bill
• SALGA to lobby a differentiated approach to powers and functions and to the planning requirements placed on different categories of Municipalities.
• Spatial development frameworks – support and assess how municipal SDF’s are appropriate
• National building regulations
   

Key Projects for Development Planning:

• IDP’s
• Development of a Salga position on Rural Development, National Planning Commission, sharing experience / information between Municipalities and the assessment of IDP’s and State of IDP’s report
• Strategic Planning
• Lobby for a local government position on the role of planning in the inter-governmental context (strategic and land use planning)
• Land Use Management
• Research, develop and lobby for a national legislation on land use management

Objectives

• To assist local government in developing and improving its effectiveness in Local Economic Development (LED) planning and implementation and to ensure that priorities and policies determined at a national level are rolled out at provincial and local level
• Given the key role of local development initiatives have in contributing to the stimulation of local economies and poverty alleviation it is key that this Directorate support LED
• To tackle LED issues in rural economies that address poverty alleviation measures and economic growth
• To assist local government in developing LED programmes and to promote and support the practice of LED  within Local Government
• To build a greater awareness about the importance and role of a regional approach to LED
• To improve the effectiveness of the EPWP at the municipal and district level.
• To promote local contractor development and informal trader management at the municipal level.
• To contribute to the implementation of BBBEE at the municipal level.
• To ensure the inclusion and alignment of Tourism Development and promotion as part of municipal LED

Key Projects for Local Economic Planning:

EPWP

• Increase number of municipalities reporting on EPWP (to ensure more municipalities qualify for the wage incentive)
• Engaging non participating municipalities in all provinces and in year monitoring report

Policy and Strategy

• Development of approaches to promote economic development within poorer and more rural municipalities
• Sharing of best practices – donor (and like) funded programmes
• Support programme with CLGF and SALAR
• Develop a tool for LED Assessments

LED Network

• The identification, documentation and dissemination of good LED practices (through a tested case study methodology).
• A Forum to exchange knowledge and successful LED practice, for municipal peer-to-peer support and learning across disciplines.
• An Online space for research and collaborative working on specific LED issues, such as informal trade, tourism, small town regeneration and agriculture.
• Free access to the thought leadership, news, events, tools, publications, case studies, awareness-raising presentations, job opportunities etc, through a large LED Library, Newsletters and Newsflashes.
• A Platform for networking among practitioners from different sectors.

Access to Grants and incentives

• Together with the DTI to develop and disseminate a DTI Incentives Guide outlining the industrial policy incentives and their relevance on local government.
• Lobby for a local government tourism programme with key stakeholders

• Today cities are reassessing their role and capacities in relation to the emerging new knowledge-based economy and the needs of their citizens in this new social and economic environment.
• In this effort, cities, towns and villages are able to a variety of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) to better prepare citizens to compete in the new economy to help in the delivery of public services, support enterprise development and to enhance the quality of life in their communities.  
• This application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) therefore lies both within good governance as well as within the field of socio-economic development.
• Legislative and political measures are often required to facilitate or enable application of ICTs, especially in the successful delivery of e-Government services.

Objectives

• To ensure the necessary representation of the voice / position of local government with the ICT Policy and Regulatory Environment.
• To focus on the access, provision and maintenance of ICT Infrastructure to ensure universal access at the local level  
• To facilitate effectiveness of e-Government services and content at a local level
• To promote digital inclusion and e-awareness
• To contribute to municipal transformation and  improved service delivery through the effectives use of ICT’s
• ICT Skills development and capacity building

Key Projects for ICT:

ICT Landscape

• Investigate all existing ICT policy and regulations to ensure local government participation in the ISAD Cluster, Technical and working group forums
• Develop a position paper outlining the current state impacting local government within the current ICT legislative and policy framework Environment.

Broadband Infrastructure

• Development of a SALGA Position to Governments proposed Broadband Strategy

E-Government and ICT Awareness

• Prepare a report assessing the extent and trends of ICT and e-services at a municipal level. national municipal assessment
• Municipal Government e-readiness position paper and research report.

Objectives

• To ensure improved financial management and compliance with MFMA
• To ensure municipalities enhance revenue and reduce debt
• To participate review of Local Government Equitable Share Formula and MIG Formula
• To participate in the review of LG fiscal framework
• To ensure appropriate replacements to RSC levy are introduced
• To participate on the Division of Revenue Process
• To support municipalities in implementing MPRA and engage on the legislative and policy issues

Key Projects for Municipal Finance:

Financial Management

• Compilation of an annual state of finances analysis based on the audit outcomes of the last financial year

Inter-Governmental Fiscal Relations

• Discuss options for replacement of RSC levy with member municipalities (SALGA mandating process)
• Development of SALGA position on LGES and Municipal Infrastructure Financing
• Engage with NT and Minister of Finance on Division of Revenue Bill

Other Activities

• Audit and analysis of Municipal Entities established in terms of the Municipal Systems Act

Policy Frameworks Achievements

• Links with the Sector Departments, Provincial Departments, LED Network, CSIR, DBSA, Cities Network.

Local Economic Development

• A SALGA’ Local Economic Development position paper was developed and utilised to lobby for the need for a differentiated approach towards LED in local government,

Tourism

• SALGA submitted a local government position paper to the National Department of Tourism, as an input to the Tourism Sector Strategy.

EPWP

• EPWP workshops were held in all provinces on improving the effectiveness of the EPWP at the municipal and district level.  
• The workshops were convened by the SALGA provincial offices.  
• The purpose of the workshops was to increase awareness on the implementation of the EPWP and to increase municipal engagement as well as to provide an overview of Phase 2 of the EPWP programme.
   

Information Communication Technology

Engaged with key stakeholders including the Department of Communication, the GITO Council, and PNC on ISAD, the Meraka Institute and an ICT Research Company.
 

SALGA has focused on promoting and creating awareness on ICT at Local Government level.
 

The programmes

• Investigated all existing ICT policy and regulations to ensure local government participation in various national ICT fora.
• Developed a SALGA Position on Government’s proposed Broadband Strategy and National Radio Frequency Policy.
• Engaged in analysis and research on e-Government and the online status of Municipalities

State of ICT and Local Government Report

• A comprehensive report on the state of ICT in Local Government was developed.

E-Government Research

• SALGA, in partnership with the Department of Communication and the Presidency’s National Commission on Information Society and Development, developed a comprehensive report (covering all 283 municipalities) on the state of Municipalities Online Presence.  All partners have a common interest in the state of e-Government at the Local Government Level.