Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Deputy Minister, Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, will launch the Eastern Cape leg of the reimagined Community Work Programme (CWP), focused on forging Smart Partnerships for amplified impact.

This launch in the Eastern Cape follows the Gauteng leg launched by Deputy Minister Parks Tau on 26 April 2024, in West Rand District Municipality, under the theme “Mobilizing Public and Private Sector Smart Partnerships for an Impactful CWP toward Artisan and Enterprise Development.”

Expected to join Deputy Minister Burns-Ncamashe is the Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Transport Deputy Minister Lisa Mangcu, Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Cllr Gary van Niekerk as well as the Eastern Cape Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders Nkosi M Gwadiso.

The CWP, a Branch within the Department of Cooperative Governance, has been strategically redesigned to ensure collaborative partnerships between government, businesses, and civil society, ensuring tangible outcomes and visible results.

With a renewed emphasis on skills development, particularly in technical and artisanal fields, the reimagined CWP aims to enhance employability and foster entrepreneurship, with a special focus on youth, women, and persons with disabilities.

Aligned with the all-government and society principle of the District Development Model (DDM) as well as the Thought Leadership Dialogue recently led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, the Smart Partnerships initiative recognizes the necessity of a collective effort from both public and private sectors to address socio-economic challenges and deliver efficient services to citizens.

The Ministerial launch will introduce Smart Partners to the provincial COGTA and the Metro, emphasizing innovative solutions for skills training and enterprise development, alongside sustainable service delivery.

Members of the media are invited to attend the Eastern Cape launch scheduled to take place as follows:

– Time: 09h00

– Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2024

– Venue: Nangoza Jebe Hall, New Brighton , Gqeberha, Eastern Cape

Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP for both events through the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/KF00MfgFg3

For further inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Legadima Leso: 066 479 9904

Mr. Tsekiso Machike: 078 237  3900

Ends

Issued by the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA)