COGTA Deputy Minister Obed Bapela engages on a roundtable discussion with Black Business Council
“Business is a key stakeholder and has a major role to play in the development of communities across our country”, this were the views expressed by honourable Obed Bapela, Deputy Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) during a round table with the Black Business Council (BBC).
This role of business would be possible only if strong partnerships could be formed between local government, Traditional leaders and the business sector in our country. While we live in a constitutional democracy, we also reside in a country that recognises the value that traditional leaders bring to the smooth functioning of this democracy.
Government is in terms of our laws obligated to work with and recognise the role that traditional authorities play on our country.
In many rural areas, traditional leaders play an important role of leading communities, solving disputes, managing resources and ensuring development. Our endeavour to create a fully democratic society in South Africa is utilising that the intrinsic strengths of our traditional leaders.
Constructively, Traditional Leaders have, in keeping with the times, embraced the mantle of development.
In 2013, COGTA launched the Business Development Forum (BDF) programme as part of the department’s strategy to improve local economies in municipalities. This programme provides a unique opportunity to encourage and involve the private sector to partner with municipalities in the promotion of local economies thereby creating job opportunities.
COGTA is also committed to continue supporting municipalities in the implementation of the BDF programme and unblocking the challenges and departmental red tape processes that are hindering the progress.
“Central to our vision of the developmental state is the realisation of radical economic and social transformation. Local government has many opportunities to effect this transformation through a number of means at their disposal.
Key to the realisation of the goals of radical social and economic transformation is the role of local government as the sphere that is closest to communities to pull the previously disadvantaged communities out of poverty.
To achieve this, it is important to strengthen partnerships with business and the roundtable will go a long n cementing this relationships.
The meeting agreed that strengthening relations between the two sectors is important.
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