Local Government Capacity Programme (LGCP)

The Local Government Capacity Programme, implemented by VNG International, aims to develop the capacity of local governments and local government associations in nine countries, in order to contribute to sustainable local economic development and the four prioritised themes of the Dutch international cooperation policy. The programme is largely financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The LGCP South Africa Programme is composed of two projects. The first project focuses on the capacity of a selection of South African Municipalities to work on Local Economic Development (LED).

The second projects, the Kingfisher project, aims to improve the capacity of three Catchment Management Agencies (CMA’s) to develop their Catchment Management Strategies (CMS), to implement these and to engage with the various stakeholders in their water management area, all in order to create a conducive business environment for LED.

LGCP Projects:

Local Economic Development Project:

Local Economic Development (LED) in South Africa is considered a key component of the country’s national economic development policy, as is described in the National Framework for LED 2006 – 2011. The LGCP programme in which the LED project falls, aims at the increased capacity of 15 local governments, three Catchment Management Agencies and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in South Africa to enhance, organise and institutionalise Local Economic Development.

The LED project is divided into sub-projects:

Mining: In February 2013, VNG International started the LGCP programme with a conference on LED in Gauteng, in which identified groups of municipalities with similar economic profiles and challenges participated. Ekurhuleni, Emfuleni, Emalahleni, Naledi and Govan Mbeki have been identified as mining municipalities with great potential/opportunities to benefit from mining initiatives taking place in their area of jurisdiction.

Housing:

Housing, rental and social housing are one of the key priorities of the LGCP programme. CMRA holds workshops to share knowledge, experiences and challenges that municipalities are dealing with in the field of (rental) housing. Workshops often discuss current problems experienced with regards to delivery housing as well as ways to improve the delivery of social and rental housing.

The kingfisher project:

The South African Water Resources Act (1998) introduced Catchment Management Agencies (CMA) as a new layer of water management institutions.The purpose of establishing these CMA’s is to delegate water resource management to the regional or catchment level and to involve local communities, within the framework of the national water resource strategy.

This Kingfisher Project is the result of a unique partnership between VNG International, the Association of Regional Water Authorities and the Department of Water and Sanitation. In 2012 they decided to develop an integrated programme for the establishment and capacity development of the CMA’s by aligning the implementation of strategies with regards to Catchment Management Strategies (CMS) and LED

The overall objective of the Kingfisher project is to contribute to the improved integrated water resource management in South Africa by increasing the capabilities of CMS’s to define and agree on internal procedures and CMS’s, to increase their ability to implement their CMS and finally to increase their capability to identify and relate to external stakeholders.