The EDP will be a success because there is a need for it

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Ashoek Adhikari

This is the third in a series of views on the establishment of the Western Cape’s recently-announced Economic Development Partnership.

The EDP will be a success because there is a need for it. After 18 years of getting to grips with a new democratic governance model for the country, provinces and local government we have a much better understanding of what is required to get the economy to grow at an accelerated pace. Most of the diagnostic work and experience tell a similar story – we cannot break out of the constraints of slow unequal growth without tackling the soft issues as well as creating investment opportunities.

By soft issues I mean the quality of relationships, network, leadership and the role of identity.  The level of social capital and social capital formation often is an indicator of a society’s ability to get things done.

The parts of those issues that the EDP will tackle are to build partnerships for economic cohesion in order to achieve accelerated growth. Such cohesion requires leadership and consensus amongst economic development agencies, stakeholders, government,business and labour – the essence of a partnership.

The EDP then has a very important role to play as a catalyst, a role which currently is vacant.

To be successful the EDP needs to establish a track record of credibility that it is not an agency for any particular stakeholder or political agenda. Its independence must not be contested and it has to remain secular in securing its victories.

Success breeds success. The EDP cannot yet claim a track record and the biggest challenge is for it to build that track record through innovation – by doing what has not been done before. To do this it must speak with its own voice.

It is not axiomatic that complex problems must have complex solutions. Likewise the prospect of the EDP being able to play a catalyst role and bring about greater economic development cohesion to the Western Cape isgood because the Western Cape is more socially fractured than most provinces.  The Western Cape has not been politically stable, has serious identity issues and is less capable of mobilising social capital.

The Western Cape lacks the space for common purpose to be pursued for the interests of inclusive growth.  The EDP can create that space without it being a negotiating forum.

Will the EDP be just an alignment of interests, or will it achieve much more?  I find that the analogy with a positive catalyst to be the most useful way to think about it. A positive catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed by it. So too the EDP can act as a catalyst for economic growth without becoming an apex body (an association of associations).

The big question for many will be “What’s in it for me?”  My approach to that is “opportunity”.

The EDP will unlock opportunities which previously were not available/accessible and members have a duty to ensure that they are optimally positioned realise those opportunities. The flip side is: “What is the opportunity cost in not joining the EDP (on the assumption that it is effective?”

My personal hope is that it is so successful, that it becomes widely emulated.

By Ashoek Adhikari

Ashoek Adhikari, General Counsel at Media24

Ashoek Adhikari, General Counsel at Media24

Ashoek Adhikari  is the General Counsel at Media24. He is an attorney by profession and after practising law he moved into the public sector, where he held various positions in the provincial administration of the Western Cape in the portfolios of environmental and cultural affairs, social services and poverty alleviation, housing and local government. Before moving to Media24 he was the chief operating officer in the Office of the Premier.

He was active in the governance of the attorney’s profession and served as a councillor of the Cape Law Society from 1998 and as vice-president from 2001 to 2004, during this time he chaired the Law Society of South Africa’s transformation committee and served on the steering committee of the Minister of Justice to draft the transformation charter for the attorney’s profession. He is currently the chairperson of the audit and risk committee of the Attorneys Fidelity Fund, Deputy Chairperson of the Isandla Institute and a director of Welkom Yizani.

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Improving the economy, advancing job creation

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Brian Figaji

This is the second in a series of views on the establishment of the Western Cape’s recently-announced Economic Development Partnership.

Firstly the establishment of the Economic Development Partnership is a huge opportunity for the people of the Western Cape to tackle the challenges of sustainable economic growth and job creation in a new and innovative way.

The Provincial and City government has committed wholeheartedly to the full and transparent participation in this process which they have agreed to put in the hands of an independent body to spearhead in the interest of the Province and all its people. This is a big and unusual leap of faith on the part of the politicians and for this reason, among many others; we must ensure that this non-partisan body works effectively to deliver the results that we all expect. It is important that we maintain the non-partisan nature of the partnership so that we ensure the free participation of the widest possible membership.

Secondly the Economic Development Partnership provides the space within which different players can work collaboratively to achieve the broader goal of providing a better life for all without it being necessary for any partner to forsake his or her organizational beliefs and traditions. The partnership will have to remain resolute about not allowing petty organizational rivalry to interfere with the achievement of the targets set by the partnership.

The only measure that the partnership should use to determine if a programme should be pursued or not is whether such a programme will improve the economy, advance job creation and benefit the people of the Western Cape generally.

The Economic Development Partnership is about collaboration, cooperation, a common agenda for economic growth and job creation, providing leadership and ultimately joint action from members. If we can achieve this in our province then we would not only have ensured a better economic future for ourselves but we would also have changed the culture of cooperation within our society.

Only the naïve among us will believe that this is an easy task that could be achieved in the short term by a few people sitting in smoke filled rooms in some fancy hotel. While this is a very important opportunity provided to the people of the Western Cape we must not underestimate the enormity of this demanding task that will require great wisdom, patience and tenacity. In order that we may have the best chance of success we must collectively ensure that we nominate and elect to the Board of the EDP the smartest people in this Province. The smartest people are those who are innovative, creative, systems thinkers, team players, consensus seekers, collaborators and persons who understand the economy and the people of the Western Cape.

I am very excited about this opportunity and realise the enormous responsibility we will be asking the first Board of the EDP to shoulder. However, if every organisation, structure and group in the Western Cape supports the members of the Board of the EDP then at least they will be encouraged to tackle this task with vigor and enthusiasm.

Prof Brian Figali

Prof Brian Figaji

By Prof Brian Figaji

  • Retired Vice Chancellor of Peninsula Technikon
  • Recently retired as a non Executive Director of Nedbank
  • Retired non Executive Director of the DBSA
  • Currently Chairman of I&J Ltd
  • Currently Chairman of the South African National commission for UNESCO
  • Serves on a number of NGOs
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An effective partnership between citizens, business & government

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Alan Winde

 This is the first in a series of views on the establishment of the Western Cape’s recently-announced Economic Development Partnership.

The Western Cape Government’s number one goal is to create the opportunities for businesses and citizens to grow the economy. We want to create a Western Cape that is a better place to invest and make a profit, to do business, get a job and earn a living, for everyone.

This is a goal we cannot achieve on our own.

It is with this understanding in mind that two years ago, I proposed the formation of an institution that would bring together all actors in the economy in order to build effective partnerships between citizens, business and government.

Following an intensive study of the best Economic Development agencies in the world, and work on a model to suit our region, the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP) was consequently launched on 26 April 2012 as an independent, membership-based not-for-profit company to lead, co-ordinate and drive the Western Cape economic delivery system.

Thus far, 60 organisations have expressed their interest in joining the EDP, including sector promotion bodies and economic development agencies from across the province.

The EDP will provide a new way of working together to deliver better outcomes.

In its first year, the EDP will focus on:

  • Formulating a co-constructed, strategically coherent plan for the Western Cape economy that includes an analysis of our risks and opportunities;
  • Building effective partnerships between citizens, business and government;
  • Co-ordinating a strategy towards contested markets and building a strong economic and business brand through an integrated platform;
  • Continuously monitoring the performance of the economic delivery system and make recommendations for service delivery improvements; and
  • Co-ordination of a regional market attraction, retention and expansion strategy

Let me take the opportunity to clarify the role of the EDP, its structure and its membership.

The EDP will not be driven by the Western Cape Government and it is not a government institution.

In a letter to the Cape Times, EDP convenor, Andrew Boraine, explained that the EDP is a voluntary, independent, non-partisan organisation that will focus on building effective partnerships for inclusive growth.

Membership is open to all organisations that constitute the Western Cape economic delivery system, drawn from twelve categories of potential members. These include government and government agencies, local authorities, industry associations and sector development agencies, knowledge-based institutions, training and skills development organisations, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and social movements, local economic development partnerships, business associations, trade unions and professional associations.

There is one class of membership; all members will therefore have equal status. There is no special position for government, or business, or funders.

The Western Cape Government does not even have a guaranteed seat on the Board. Like all potential members of the EDP, we have submitted an expression on interest form to join the EDP, and look forward to working with this body in years to come toward achieving our primary goal of growing our economy and creating jobs.

In the months to come, the board and CEO of the EDP will be appointed.

I am confident the EDP will deliver on its objectives for the benefit of the people of our Province.

By Alan Winde

Alan Winde

Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism

Alan Winde has been a member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature since 1999. During his first term, he served as Western Cape Provincial Finance Chairman and Executive Committee Member with the Democratic Party. Prior to being re-elected in April 2009, he served as the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition in the Western Cape, as DA Spokesperson on Environment and Planning and as Deputy DA Spokesperson on Economic Development and Tourism.

Prior to his first election to the legislature, he served as a councillor in the Outeniqua Rural Council and the South Cape District Council. Alan Winde also has experience as an entrepreneur, having started up a number of small businesses, as a director of a tour company, and as a business broker with Aldes Business Brokers, a South African Top 100 Company.

Alan Winde became Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism in May 2009, shortly after the DA won the Western Cape Province. Minister Winde gained his political prowess by working from the bottom up – first as a councillor, then as a member of the Provincial Legislature, and finally, as Minister of the Provincial Government. In his two years in office, Minister Winde has initiated exciting new projects to increase the attractiveness of the Western Cape as an investment destination, and stimulate job-creating growth. In the coming years, the Minister would like to see the Western Cape become a centre of business excellence, where an efficient and corruption-free administration works together with an educated and healthy civil society to ensure better lives for all.

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