In this blog post, we dive into the world of collaborative leadership and its role in regional development. As municipalities gear up for their IDP and Spatial Development Framework discussions, this blog explores how the upcoming session of the Developmental Leadership Programme aims to foster teamwork and innovation.
Planning in Mogalakwena and Gamagara Municipalities has been constrained by fragmentation, limited participation and short-term thinking. Recent Spatial Development Framework compilations highlight that these processes should be understood and valued as dynamic, collaborative endeavours that foster alignment and shared learning, rather than merely producing a static document.
The CSIR Smart Places team collaborated with Kagiso Trust, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and Synergos to host an executive roundtable on Collaborative Governance at Local Level on 11 September 2025. The session, facilitated by Prof. Andrew Boraine, a leading practitioner in partnering and systems change, was designed to contribute to the ongoing review of the White Paper on Local Government.
In regions where economic pressures, service delivery demands and institutional limitations converge, collaboration becomes more than a strategy – it becomes a lifeline.
Forging a Resilient Future: Mine–Municipal Collaboration in the Northern Cape. In South Africa’s Northern Cape, a transformative partnership is reshaping the future of mining towns.
Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, facing high unemployment and food insecurity, launched a food security initiative in 2022.
The Thabazimbi Local Municipality is working towards a stronger, more inclusive economy while addressing critical water management challenges.
What does it take to transform municipal service delivery and a rural region’s future? For Moses Kotane, the answer lies in collaboration, strategic planning, and a shared vision for the future.
Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), formed through the amalgamation of Fetakgomo and Tubatse, faces significant challenges in planning and development.
In the Mogalakwena Local Municipality, the traditional authorities (TAs) of Mapela and of Mokopane collectively guide the growth of about 44 villages around the Mogalakwena mine.
Mogalakwena Local Municipality’s growth was uncoordinated and unsustainable. Mines, traditional authorities, and government entities were operating in silos, leading to conflicts over land use and resource allocation.
Mogalakwena Local Municipality’s outdated land-use management system hindered economic development.
Mogalakwena’s Local Economic Development (LED) team was under pressure to update its 2006 strategy. The team was demotivated and struggling to rebuild relationships post-COVID, leaving the municipality’s economic future in jeopardy.