‘Community development must be people-centred – Activist

Government bureaucracy suffocated community programmes, warned leading social activist Thulani Tshefuta, although civil society organisations have hailed as a key milestone the signing by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a social framework agreement for SA’s challenges.

The agreement is to serve as a roadmap for addressing problems such as high levels of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Amid much fanfare at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg on Friday, Ramaphosa, joined by Tshefuta – in his capacity as convenor of the National Economic Development and Labour Council – and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, as well as Employment and Labour (DEL) Minister Thulas Nxesi co- signed the framework agreement, seeking to ensure:

Business development support for the township and village-based enterprises;

• The upscaling and partnering with civil society organisations – as implementing agents – of relevant public employment programmes; and
• Forging of an anti-corruption strategy – with underlying interventions and actions, to support the building of an efficient economy – leading to the protection of the community and public assets.

The DEL and its agencies will work in collaboration with civil society organisations to support community-based self-initiatives on employment creation and income generation, through the labour activation programme.

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The framework agreement noted that the democratic transition corresponded with “the one in which the population has become more youthful and has an increased fertility rate”. “The unemployment crisis has persisted and continues to demand the attention of all the social partners and each making their distinct contributions,” read the framework.

While embracing the framework as “a progressive document”, describing the summit as “a platform of high-level engagement with government”, Tshefuta said more engagements linked to tangible results were required.

“Partnerships with civil society must acknowledge that people and communities are not just passive beneficiaries, but part of the solution in their own development,” he said. “In appreciating the complementary role of social partners or sectors of society, there are programmes that are suffocated by the bureaucracy of government.

“Community development must be people-centred and driven through the ABCD approach. “Priority number one of the MTSF (medium-term strategic framework) is on building a capable, ethical and developmental state, with an active citizenry being one of the key tenants.”

He said legislation, policies and regulations should provide an en- abling environment for civil society to thrive. “Regulatory measures must not change the DNA of civil society of agility, responsiveness, relevance, self-reliance and sustainability.

“A one-size-fits-all set of regulations does not appreciate the fact that civil society organisations have different organisational forms and governance structures,” said Tshefuta. – brians@citizen.co.za