Organisation: NETSAFRICA

NETSAFRICA is a network of Italian and South African local governments, established in the framework of a three-year decentralized cooperation Programme (2008-2011) funded by the Government of Italy and the Regional Government of Tuscany. The Programme aims at contributing to build up the role of South African local governments on the path towards democratization and peace by strengthening their capacity in the fight against poverty and improved access to basic services.

NETSAFRICA promotes a real partnership work, favouring exchange of know-how and expertise based as much as possible on a “practitioner-to-practitioner” approach. The partners work together on local economic development, basic services delivery, and community empowerment issues with the view to promote mutual knowledge in both countries and to disseminate lessons learned amongst all Government tiers.

NETSAFRICA supports the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in strengthening and promoting national policies and strategies of Local Government and Community Empowerment. In order to meet local communities’ needs, within the context of the National Framework for Local Economic Development (Strategy 1 and 4), through both financial and technical assistance, the Programme supports also the following South African municipalities within the Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces in the design and implementation of sustainable and innovative interventions.

GAUTENG PROVINCE
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
Promote the creation of job opportunities for disadvantaged communities through the involvement of coops in waste collection and recycling

Metsweding District Municipality
Promote entrepreneurship, sustainable small enterprises and job creation for disadvantaged communities through the establishment of an Arts and Crafts Business Incubator facility

EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE
OR Tambo District Municipality
Development of local trade in Lusikisiki, with a particular emphasis on micro and informal enterprises owned by women and youth

Buffalo City Municipality
- Upgrade the capacity of urban agriculture cooperatives to reach commercial sustainability
- Establish a Ward-based planning system to make sure that Wards pro-actively design and present their own vision, development needs & project plans

NETSAFRICA main institutional partners include:

South Africa

• Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA)
• Provincial Governments of Gauteng and Eastern Cape
• Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
• Metsweding District Municipality
• Buffalo City Local Municipality
• O.R. Tambo District Municipality

Italy

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate-General for Development Cooperation
• Regional Government of Tuscany
• Tuscan partners: Province of Grosseto; Circondario Empolese Valdelsa; Municipalities of Florence, Arezzo and Grosseto; Legacoop agroalimentare Toscana; Lega Coop/Cooplat Cispel Confservizi Toscana and many more

For more information contact:

Clara Bosco
Programme Coordinator

Support Programme to Decentralisation and Local Development Policies in South Africa - NETSAFRICA
5th floor, Pencardia 2 Building- Arcadia, Pretoria
P O Box 57063 Arcadia 0007
T. +27 (0)12 3365724
F. +27 (0)12 3344854
M.+27 (0)76 2129521
clara.bosco@ucodep.org