Leaders call for regional collaboration and benchmarking at CLGF Southern Africa Regional Conference

Posted: 04 May 2022

Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Thembi Nkadimeng says the Covid-19 pandemic made it possible for government departments to work together and it was important for the government to continue to do so in the post-Covid-19 era and embrace similar patterns which the country witnessed towards the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Nkadimeng said the Department of Health played its part in the fight against Covid-19, while the Department of Basic Education had to enforce Covid-19 protocols in schools, on the other hand, working in silos became a thing of the past.

She said a similar pattern was adopted during the time South Africa hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup to ensure its success and soon after the Soccer World Cup, the country seem to have gone back to rest on its laurels.

Nkandimeng was delivering a keynote address on Day 1 of the hybrid format Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF): Southern Africa Regional Conference which is taking place in Emperors Place Hotel, Kempton Park, South Africa.

Addressing delegates, consisting of local government associations and local government representatives from across the SADC Region, Nkadimeng said that participation in the CLGF Southern African Regional Conference was crucial and was meant to help us adjust to the post-Covid-19 era.

In his welcome remarks, Reverend Mpho Moruakgomo, Chairperson of CLGF said the three-day CLGF Southern Africa Regional Conference "will explore the role of local government in post Covid recovery, and agree on key priorities for future programming and strategies for resource mobilisation, as well as reflect on regional collaboration with SADC."

SALGA CEO Xolile George said the local government needed to spend time benchmarking. "When all is done, local governments will be expected to absorb the fallout post the pandemic, and collaboration is very important across Regional and African governments and it will require leadership capacity to overcome all the challenges," said George.

The event is part of CLGF's wider work on the European Union-funded project: Empowering Local Authorities in Partner Countries for Enhanced Governance and more Effective Development Outcomes.

The regional conference is hosted under the theme: "The role of local government in the post-COVID 19 socio-economic recovery'." The conference will deliberate on the importance of multi-level coordination especially the need for closer coordination and collaboration between local governments and other spheres of government, among local governments themselves, and the private sector communities.