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South African Co-ops defend the Cooperatives Act

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South African Co-ops defend the Cooperatives Act Cooperative leaders marching to the Department of Small Business Development in Pretoria to hand over a memorandum of demands. Picture: Masonwabe Fuma The South African Coops Association Retail Network (SACARN) is planning a march rallied by Cooperatives to hand in a memorandum to the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) at their head offices in Pretoria. The march comes as a result of Cooperatives rejecting the DSBD’s second wave programme called Township and Rural Entrepreneurship programme (TREP) which was approved by the cabinet in February 2020. The Department unveiled the TREP programme as the second wave of financial relief scheme that is expected to rescue townships and villages adversely affected by the covid-19 lockdown. Hon. Ms  Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni , the Minister of Small Business Development said the scheme aims to benefit informal, micro, and small enterprises including cooperatives based in townsh
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Cooperatives Toolkit - Staying Resilient Amidst Covid 19

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This is a practical guide , providing practical strategies on how smaller grassroots cooperatives can insight-fully survive during these unprecedented times. It is expected that this guide will be a tool for combating the negative impacts of the COVID-19 on small grassroots cooperatives.  Focus is on grassroots cooperatives in the following sectors : Textile and clothing manufacturing, Recycling, Agriculture, Catering and hospitality and Multipurpose.  
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Budget Vote of R2.3 Billion: Will cooperatives see any of it?

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Small Business Development Budget Vote of 2.3 Billion: Will cooperatives see any of it? By S Mkwanazi | ACI-SA Associate Fellow | 25 July 2020 The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) tabled a R2.3 billion budget vote and which had to be welcomed by both the public and entrepreneurs out of no options. This taxpayers money is meant to be invested in programmes that will grow the taxbase in creating jobs, supporting small businesses and cooperatives. While the department has been doing its best to deliver programmes that are relevant for both SMMEs and Small businesses, corruption and irregularities in funding processes, and procurement deals not only have sabotaged the department’s agenda but have collapsed its strategies. Some may argue that the department is able to implement programmes and other forms of support through its agencies. This is only true to some extent. The department’s programmes are dependent on the actions and behaviours of other government departments, di
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Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
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African Conversation on the International Day of Cooperatives: #Coops4Climate Action

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African Conversation on the International Day of Cooperatives: #Coops4Climate Action by Boitumelo Gwala | ACI-SA Journalist | 10 July 2020 Cooperatives can play a huge role in mitigating climate change. According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) greenhouse gas emissions are more than 50% higher than in previous years and global warming has caused long-lasting changes to the climate change system, with irreversible repercussions should the world fail to act. On 4 July, Africa Cooperatives Institute of South Africa  (ACI-SA) celebrated the international day of cooperatives with the theme of the day: DEBUNKING THE ROLE OF COOPERATIVES IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA. Leading the zoom event was Ms Sebonkile Thaba, chairperson of Africa Cooperatives Institute of South Africa. The webinar was also attended by esteemed guests including Mr Basanda Nondlazi, a remote sensing ecologist, a researcher at UKZN/CSIR and interim head of the school of Agriculture at ACI-SA, Dr. Andrew Okem
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Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
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No relief for Grassroot CSOs & Co-operatives in South Africa

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No relief for Grassroot CSOs & Co-operatives in South Africa By Sizwe Mkwanazi, Africa Cooperatives Institute of SA | 20 April 2020 Cooperatives and charity organisations play a key role in the livelihoods of most vulnerable South Africans. These organisations make up the progressive organisations sector. They stand up for human rights, fight against gender based violence, run feeding schemes and are at the forefront of fighting the virus in a number of ways.  Women, youth and the unemployed people of our country have worked hard organising themselves into cooperatives in different sectors. Their fledgling cooperatives are at the risk of complete collapse and not only because they cannot meet the criteria for most of the relief funds, but because they are not confident in the system since it does not recognise the sector in its own right. The lack of support intended specifically for cooperatives and charities in South Africa is nothing but another disaster waiting to happen. Most
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Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
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