May 15, 2003
By Tshepiso Mogotsi
THE National Development Agency and the province have agreed to work together on poverty-alleviation projects.
The National Development Agency (NDA) and the Gauteng Department of Social Services have agreed to work together to develop poverty alleviation projects in the province. The department has set aside R16 million, while the NDA will be encouraging more funding commitments from other financial sources, including international ones.
NDA is a funding agency aimed at establishing relationships and building networks with businesses, government, non-governmental organisations, agencies and communities involved in development. It is funded by government and the European Union and by the private sector.
This week saw the MEC of Social Services, Angie Motshekga, and NDA CEO Delani Mthembu exchanging signatures on a memorandum of understanding to develop more poverty-alleviation projects.
The department has identified three main areas of concern: health, education and economic development.
The NDA will offer training support to community members regarding the above-mentioned areas through workshops, establish ways to encourage more funding commitments from the other financial sources and see to it that the beneficiaries have access to the Gauteng provincial government's poverty alleviation programmes.
The department and the NDA, said Mthembu, will try to integrate their programme initiatives in order to avoid difficulties but rather intensify development.
Furthermore the NDA will assist the department to arrange conferences with local government aimed at promoting talks to support and strengthen the department's ability to perform its constitutional social development mandate.
Motshekga said she believes the partnership will enhance, strengthen and expedite sustainable socio-economic development in the communities of Gauteng.
Meanwhile the Department of Social Services is involved in two programmes of poverty alleviation: development centres and the Gauteng Intersectoral Development Unit.
Development centres, whereby community members are engaged in projects like youth clubs, vegetable growing and art and craft, for example, have been established in communities where poverty seems very high.
These centres are aimed at assisting community members to help themselves.
According to Motshekga, development centres are usually bridging stepladders from a state of poverty to a state of self-reliance.
She said the department's partnership with the NDA would also focus on strengthening the capacity of the development centres at Tembisa, Stanza Bopape, Vlakfontein, Poortjie, Johannesburg region 4 and Rietfontein, among others.
The Gauteng Intersectoral Development Unit ensures appropriate, multi-sectoral contributions to poverty alleviation from all spheres of government, as well as civil society.
