Capacity building

  • Civil Society involvement in municipal processes
  • A successful model - training of trainers
  • Examples of the EISA model at work

Civil Society involvement in municipal processes

Since the inception of the EISA local government programme in 2003 and its interaction with civil society organisations at local level, the involvement of civil society organisations in municipal processes poses great challenges. The voice of many civil society organisations are not as effective as it should be. Many have little or no knowledge about the current system of local governance, or the spaces for community participation in municipal processes as embedded in the various pieces of legislation that govern local governance. Where knowledge about the current system exists, organisations lack mechanisms to engage municipalities.

EISA's local governance programme seeks to assist community-based and grassroots organisations claim the existing spaces for citizen participation in municipal processes through capacity building, information provision and ongoing support. EISA has piloted its capacity building programme in Thaba Mofotsanyana (Free State) and Ugu (KwaZulu-Natal) and will continue working with civil society organisations in Ukhahlamba (Eastern Cape), Ehlazeni (Mpumalanga) Districts.

A successful model - training of trainers

Ward Committee Capacity Building and Support

EISA has been involved in ward committee capacity building and support since the local governance programme began. In its quest for increased impact in increased participation in local governance, EISA and its partners have developed a new methodology for ward committee capacity building and support. The approach rests on two pillars:

  • first, to emerge with a sustainable approach to ward committee capacity building process and
  • second, to entrench municipal ownership of ward committee capacity building processes by taking responsibility for implementing the project.

To support its quest, a comprehensive Handbook and Facilitator's guide has been developed by EISA with generous support from its funders. This approach has been tested with success in Ukhahlamba (Eastern Cape), Ehlazeni (Mpumalanga) Districts.

Examples of the EISA model at work

Enabling active citizen participation in local government

This programme is aimed at strengthening democracy at the local level through active citizen participation. It seeks to enhance the capacity of all stakeholders to participate in matters of local governance. To achieve this, a capacity building programme has been developed targeting ward committees and councillors as well as civil society formations. It covers the following topics:

  • The role, powers and functions of ward committees
  • The role and functions of councillors
  • Community participation
  • Municipal budgeting
  • Municipal IDP process
  • Performance management
  • Participatory local governance
  • Integrated Development Planning
  • Intergovernmental relations
  • Local economic development
  • Community-based planning

Civil society preparations for local elections 2005

Free State, South Africa

EISA held a four day workshop with 27 trainers in the Free State in 17 March 2005. The trainers were drawn from a number of local non-governmental organisations in the Free State under the consortia of the Free State Rural Development Association (FSRDA) and Free State Local Government Association (FRELOGA). The purpose of the workshop was to empower the trainers with facilitation skills and knowledge-acquisition around citizen participation and ward committee capacity building. The 27 trainers conducted at least 54 workshops for communities and 27 workshops for ward committees in the Free State. These community and ward committee workshops were held in the five municipal districts of the province.

Communities were trained through activities that highlighted the need for democracy, in particular the importance of participating in elections. Ward committees were trained to engage local government authorities and understand the role they can play in the Integrated Development Planning and Budgeting processes of their municipalities. All workshops were conducted before the local government elections. A replicating effect was ensured even beyond the term of the Local Elections Project. FRELOGA as the organising body used its sources to facilitate these workshops and tie them into the objectives and daily activities of the local municipalities.

 
 

Action areas