The District Development Model launch kicks-off in Waterberg

The initiative by the Government and the United Nations in South Africa to resuscitate district projects in the country’s three provinces picked up momentum in June when they gathered in Waterberg, Limpopo Province, to launch the partnership following a similar event in the Eastern Cape Province in April. 

The head of the United Nations in South Africa and Resident Coordinator, Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, joined the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, at the official launch of the partnership designed to implement what is officially termed the District Development Model (DDM). 

The event, held on 11 June, was the culmination of a three-day programme that included visits to the sites in Waterberg District that have been identified for restoration which included Business Solution Centres, Thusong Service Centres as well as Thuthuzela Care Centres as conduits to drive inclusive economic growth, social transformation and improve service delivery.

Speaking at the gathering, Ms. Bekele-Thomas said her visit to the Thuthuzela Care Centres and Victim Support Centres in the district “highlighted that partnerships between stakeholders are key to their success. A multi-sectoral and a multi-stakeholder approach is needed to ensure that victims of gender-based violence receive the support that they deserve and are empowered to reintegrate back into society.” 

“We need to build upon the architecture of our support by strengthening our victim referral systems. As we move forward, we must find ways to address the infrastructural and security challenges that leave victims feeling unsafe,” said Ms. Bekele-Thomas.

She emphasized the need to present a united whole-of-society approach that is rooted in partnership, community and acting with urgency and shared the “three key factors that I believe are essential to the success of our shared endeavour.” 

The first key factor was the need for communities to be placed at the heart of the district development model through engagement, consultations and empowerment. “They need to be brought into the decision-making process. Communities confer legitimacy on what we do. We need to improve communication, improve consultations, we need to make sure that our policies are informed by a bottom-up process.” 

The second factor was to fully embrace change in how services are delivered and technology harnessed to improve people’s lives in a post-pandemic world. “South Africa, Limpopo and the Waterberg District cannot be, must not be, left behind,” she said. “Embracing change means a just transition from fossil fuels and embracing the Green Economy. It means fully embracing a mindset that truly embraces the concept of service to the people.”

The third factor was to translate words, policies and dialogue into results, the Resident Coordinator said. “The people have been patient for long enough – we should not try their patience further! The longer policies and plans take to translate into palpable, concrete results, the less legitimacy they have, the less legitimacy we have.” She reminded her audience that they didn’t have the luxury of time. “We need a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.” 

The Waterberg integrated implementation plan will unlock the economic value chains, deliberately focusing on growing an inclusive and sustainable economy. It is also expected to tackle Gender-Based Violence and Femicide through increased stakeholder partnerships and advocacy to engender social transformation, whilst enhancing service delivery and the capacity of the municipality, through the Thusong Service Centres, as a one stop shop for access to information and services.

In her speech, Minister Dlamini-Zuma emphasized that the DDM was not a project but rather an inclusive way of working that is premised on social partnership between government, business and communities. “As we pay homage to Mama Charlotte Maxeke, we are reminded of her reverberating words that when you rise, rise with someone, and I’m confident that the DDM will assist our communities to rise,” she said.

Minister Dlamini Zuma was joined by the Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who is the DDM District Champion; the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu; a Member of the Executive Committee in Limpopo, Basikopo Makamu; and the Executive Mayor of Waterberg District, Cllr Morris Mataboge, as well as mayors of local municipalities.