NEDLAC TO FACILITATE MASAKHANE SUMMIT IN OCTOBER

7 August 1996

A summit on Masakhane involving government, labour, business and community is to be held in October to give clear direction to the nation on how the campaign will be taken forward, according to Nedlac Executive Director Jayendra Naidoo.

Agreement on the summit and its purpose was reached yesterday at a workshop convened by Nedlac's Development Chamber.

The workshop was attended by representatives of all the chamber's constituents and other key stakeholders including Public Works Minister Jeff Radebe; Housing Minister Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele; Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development Minister Valli Moosa; ANC deputy secretary-general Cheryl Carolus; Sanco deputy president Lizo Kapa; and SA Communist Party general secretary Charles Nqakula.

According to Naidoo, deadlines have been set for preparatory work and reports to be completed by stakeholders before the summit. A date for the summit is still to be set, but it will take place before the end of October.

"We will receive two reports by the third week of August. The first, from government, will give an evaluation of Masakhane and its impact and achievements countrywide. The second, to be drafted by the Nedlac secretariat, will outline key issues raised at the workshop," he said.

In addition, over the next two months, chamber constituents will hold a series of workshops at provincial and local level to get mandates on issues and actions which will be tabled at the summit for discussion and agreement.

Masakhane is the instrument through which communities are mobilised to spearhead development through maximising the use of scarce local resources.

"The workshop represents the first step towards rebuilding the partnerships which Masakhane embodies. If we succeed in revitalising the campaign, it will open many possibilities, at all levels of society, where people can get together to help themselves," he said.

Naidoo said Masakhane had been effective in mobilising many communities, but it had floundered because the campaign had failed to significantly harness local community participation.

"It was clear from yesterday's discussion that all stakeholders were fully committed to implementing the campaign successfully at all levels of society," Naidoo said.