Enhancing Sol Plaatje Local
Municipality’s Economic
Governance & Infrastructure
for Business Expansion
Attraction & Retention
(BEAR)
The project aims to enhance Sol Plaatje Local Municipality’s economic governance and infrastructure through innovative business efficiencies and reform for overall sustainable and inclusive local economic development.
Overall Objective:
To enhance Sol Plaatje Local Municipality’s economic governance and infrastructure for Business Expansion, Attraction and Retention (BEAR).
Expected Outcomes:
A resourced municipality with skilled LED officials that drive innovation-led sustainable economic planning and development. A harmonised and conducive regulatory environment that promotes BEAR. Improved business efficiencies and reduction of red tape for BEAR.
Specific Objectives:
- To improve Local Economic Development (LED) planning capacity, administrative economic development capacity within SLM.
- To improve the regulatory environment for the enablement of BEAR.
- To improve the ease of doing business by introducing new business applications (and facilitation) modalities.
Estimated Results / Outputs:
Trained LED officials.
Institutional learning exchange &
benchmarking.
SLM Ease of Doing Business Index.
e-Repository on economic governance and
infrastructure.
Tested & Piloted SLM digital Business
Application (& Facilitation) e-One-Stop Shop
for BEAR.
Official Development Assistance (ODA) Principle being addressed: Skills transfer and addressing of capacity gaps, innovation, piloting and testing and risk mitigation.
Final Beneficiaries:
SPLM: will increase its ease of doing business by introducing business procedures/process reforms for efficiency and reduction of red tape.
SPLM LED Officials: capacitated to facilitate innovation-driven inclusive economic development that leads to vibrant localities which offer socio-economic opportunities for all.
Businesses (and potential investors): the ability to interact with the municipality through a digitalized platform thus cutting the cost and time of doing business
Quality of life for the SPLM Residents through the provision of socio-economic opportunities that come with BEAR
South Africa: The South African economy is bound to grow from new businesses/investment as well as the growth of existing industries thereby offering socio-economic opportunities
Activities / Components:
Project Set-Up.
Capacity and Capability Enhancement
Program.
Ease of Doing Business Index.
Testing & Piloting e-One-Stop Shop.
Project Closure.
The project aims to enhance SPLM’s economic governance and infrastructure through; a digitalised business application (& facilitation) platform, a harmonised business regulatory environment as well as capacity and capability enhancement of the municipality (institution) and municipal officials (individual) in order to reduce red tape and promote SPLM’s BEAR endeavours for overall innovation-driven, sustainable and inclusive local economic development. All this is done in an effort to; improve Local Economic Development (LED) planning capacity, administrative economic development capacity within SPLM, To improve the regulatory environment for the enablement of BEAR and To improve the ease of doing business by introducing new business application (and facilitation) modalities.
As a preliminary activity, the project will start with “Project Inception”: setting up & introducing the project. The project will end with “Project Closure”: consolidation of all documentation and project evaluation to measure the overall impact of the project (have the objectives, outcomes and results been achieved; the overall financial expenditure and viability of the project).
However, the project is comprised of three (3) main components namely;
1. Capacity and Capability Enhancement:
Development & roll out of a comprehensive capacity and capability enhancement program on economic governance and infrastructure through:
• South-South institutional exchanges with continental leaders (City of Kigali) on the ease of doing business.
• Institutional exchanges with the City of Cape Town and Midvaal Local Municipality on the ease of doing business.
• Coaching and mentoring for LED officials and various user departments within SPLM.
2. SPLM Ease of Doing Business Index:
Using the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Model. The Index will look at indicators that pertain to land-use and planning, legislative environment, starting, operating and expanding a business.
3. Testing & Piloting of SLM e-One-Stop Shop:
Establishment of digital platform/s for business application and facilitation processes/procedures. The programme will be driven from SPLM’s Strategy, Economic Development and Planning Directorate led primarily from the LED Division. The Centre for Municipal Research and Advice (CMRA) as a service provider will augment SPLM’s inhouse capacity to ensure successful delivery of the project.
Funder
Client
