👷 Creating jobs 🌆 Advancing sustainable urban transformation Together, we're building a vibrant, inclusive, and economically thriving Thembisa for generations to come. #Ekurhuleni #EconomicGrowth #UrbanTransformation #LocalEconomicDevelopment

SND, in partnership with @MercyCorpsKe through the @RANGEprogramme, Mobility & Movement and Promoting Resilience, Inclusivity and Meaningful Engagement (PRIME) Programmes, today brought together representatives of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) from across Moyale Sub-County for a capacity-strengthening forum aimed at building stronger, more resilient, and better-coordinated community savings institutions. The training focused on strengthening governance and institutional coordination within VSLAs, equipping participants with practical knowledge on leadership, accountability, transparency, compliance, and effective organizational management. Participants also explored financial oversight, sustainability planning, and the critical role of collective action in strengthening community-led financial systems. A key component of the forum was the facilitation of the formation of the Moyale VSLA Apex Structure, designed to enhance coordination, representation, advocacy, and collaboration among savings groups. The forum benefited from contributions by representatives from the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Kenya Customs, the Department of Trade, and the Department of Social Services, who shared insights on entrepreneurship, market opportunities, institutional governance, compliance, and pathways for strengthening local economic development. Their participation enriched discussions and highlighted the importance of linking community savings groups to broader economic and governance structures. Strong VSLAs play a vital role in building household resilience by expanding access to financial services, supporting entrepreneurship, strengthening social cohesion, and enabling communities to better withstand economic and climate-related shocks. By investing in the capacity of community institutions, the initiative contributes to sustainable livelihoods, financial inclusion, and locally driven development. A key outcome of the training was the establishment of a framework for the Moyale VSLA Apex Committee, which will serve as an umbrella platform for participating VSLAs, promoting collective representation, improved governance, peer learning, and stronger engagement with government institutions and development partners. The training comes ahead of the Moyale VSLA Exhibition, where community groups will showcase their achievements, innovations, and contributions to economic empowerment, social cohesion, and resilience building. The exhibition will provide an opportunity to celebrate local success stories and demonstrate the transformative role of community savings groups in advancing sustainable development. Supported by the @NLinKenya, the RANGE Programme brings together a consortium of partners committed to strengthening climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, social cohesion, and inclusive economic development across Marsabit County. @FCDCKenya @UTwente #FinancialInclusion #VSLA #CommunityResilience #EconomicEmpowerment #SustainableLivelihoods #PastoralistCommunities #RANGEProgramme #SNDAfrica #MercyCorps #PartnershipsForImpact #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SocialCohesion #SDG1 #SDG8 #SDG17

We reiterate that spaza shops should empower local communities, and locals must never be forced to pay with their lives for owning and operating businesses in their own communities. #LocalEconomicDevelopment

Panel Discussion | The LED practitioner compact focused on skills, certification and the TVET partnership. The session addressed the capability gap inside municipalities a finding confirmed by DSBD research that LED positions are occupied, but the skills to deliver on them are frequently absent. The primary voices in this session were LED practitioners: the managers and officers doing the work in municipalities, not institutional representatives. The session produced a concrete summit deliverable. #LED2026 #FromPolicyToAction #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

The panel discussion focuses on spatial equity: bridging the gap between metropolitan and rural economies. The session addresses the persistent divide between urban metros and rural municipalities in their capacity to attract investment and enable enterprise. It gives voice to rural and peri-urban municipal leadership and to traditional authority and produces specific commitments on how the divide is narrowed. #LED2026 #FromPolicyToAction #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

[WATCH] Hlabisa says no business person wants to invest in an area with no sense. So local government is critical in being the economic engine of the economy. If local government is dead, the economy will die. If local government is alive, the economy will be alive. If local government is both. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica #POWERTalk

[ON AIR] National Local Economic Development Summit 2026 @DSBD_SA Mondli Makhanya is in conversation with Gauteng Disability Business Chamber, Samuel Shabalala. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica #POWERTalk

Hlabisa says when the local government is functional, a functioning municipality that is able to provide water, collect refuse, keep the area clean, and maintain the roads that municipality becomes an enabler for economic growth. #POWERTalk #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030

[ON AIR] National Local Economic Development Summit 2026 Mondli Makhanya is in conversation with @GDCoGTA minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa. #POWERTalk #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030

Sponsored Catch the @DSBD_SA the National Local Economic Development Summit 2026 address live here: youtube.com/live/vdCcS9TIUwo… #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030

[ON AIR] National Local Economic Development Summit 2026 Mondli Makhanya is in conversation with @DSBD_SA DDG of Sector policy and research, Vuyisa Daniel. #POWERTalk #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

IN PICTURES | The panel discussion focuses on cutting redtape: Licensing, Bylaws, Wayleaves, and Business Visa. The session is most directly connected to the ease of doing business pillar of the summit theme. It addresses four named regulatory burdens: business licensing turnaround times, municipal bylaws affecting trading and zoning, wayleave access for small ISPs and the business and work visa framework. #LED2026 #FromPolicyToAction #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

It is Day 2 of the National Summit on Local Economic Development which brings together government, business, development agencies, entrepreneurs, cooperatives and civilsociety. Its objective is to strengthen Public-Private Partnerships and unlock the economic potential in townships, informal settlements and rural settings. The symposium will inform and shape government programmes, ensuring the creation of an enabling environment that empowers small businesses to thrive and accelerates sustainable job creation. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

2026 National Local Economic Development Summit panel discussion The panel on energy, digital access and public works at the National Summit on Local Economic Development is driving a crucial conversation about the environments in which businesses grow and thrive. From reliable energy and water supply to digital infrastructure and accessible public works, these are the foundations that determine whether local economies can truly succeed. The session highlights the importance of collaboration across sectors to remove infrastructure barriers and attract meaningful investment into communities. The Deputy Minister @sziks emphasised the power of coordinated government initiatives spotlighting programmes like small harbour development, Welisizwe Bridges, EPWP, asset optimisation, and support for small contractors as key drivers in improving service delivery and enabling entrepreneurship. He also reaffirmed the role of the National Infrastructure Plan 2050 in guiding investment across energy, water, digital infrastructure, and logistics, noting that government will invest R1 trillion over the medium term. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SouthAfrica #anationthatworksforall

The panel discussion on securing the resource base: How municipalities unlock LED delivery without waiting for a new grant is currently underway at the National Summit on Local Economic Development. The opening session grounds the day in the resource question- not as a complaint about the absence of grants but as a practical challenge of directing what already exists. The Entrepreneur voice opened by describing what the resource gap looks like from a business owner's perspective. The panel addresses three specific mechanisms: (i) private sector co-investment, (ii)| DFI programme alignment, and (iii) inter-governmental resource reallocation. The session closes with each panellist naming a resource mobilisation commitment. Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, Honourable Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs shared insights on - White Paper Review: Building developmental local government to drive local economic development. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica

lasting progress. Together, we build stronger communities and a thriving economy 💼✨ #LocalEconomicDevelopment #EconomicGrowth #PartnershipsForProgress #Ekurhuleni #APartnershipThatWorks

🗞️📰 | The President of South African Local Government Association delivered the opening remarks at the National Local Economic Development (LED) Summit 2026, setting the tone for strengthened collaboration across all spheres of government. #LEDSummit2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #InclusiveGrowth

This summit seeks to create a more efficient and investor friendly environment in accelerating market entry for MSMEs, ultimately driving economic transformation and strengthening the resilience of municipal economies across the country. It will also prioritise implementation and the rigorous tracking of progress to ensure that local economic transformation effectively strengthens municipal resilience and drives national job creation. #LED2026 #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessSA #MunicipalDevelopment #SALGA #DSBD #NDP2030

we build stronger communities and a thriving economy 💼✨ #LocalEconomicDevelopment #EconomicGrowth #PartnershipsForProgress #Ekurhuleni #APartnershipThatWorks

TODAY I The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affair (CoGTA) are hosting the National Summit on Local Economic Development (LED). A central component of the summit is to strengthen Public-Private Partnerships and align institutional roles across national, provincial, and local government to ensure a unified approach to local economic development. Themed: “MSME and Cooperative Development at the Coalface of Service Delivery.” The symposium is a strategic intervention designed to unlock inclusive growth by focusing on the untapped potential within townships, informal settlements, and rural areas. It brings together an array of stakeholders including government officials, business leaders, civil society and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). #LED2026 #FromPolicyToAction #LocalEconomicDevelopment #SmallBusinessDevelopment #SALGA #COGTA #SEDFA #NDP2030 #SouthAfrica