KNOWSLEY Council is teaming up with the University of Liverpool to provide a two-year programme of assistance to local government in South Africa's North West Province.
The £1 million project, funded by the Overseas Development Administration as part of its £60 million aid to South African reconstruction and development, will begin in July and aims to develop sustainable local government in the province, a region rich in agriculture and mineral reserves.
Throughout the two-year programme, joint university and Knowsley 'task teams' will work alongside provincial administrators to establish new systems for personnel management, financial management and rural development. At the same time, advisers from the university and Knowsley will spend shorter periods in South Africa working with provincial and local government on strategic management, local economic development, change management and capacity auditing.
The university-Knowsley partnership was selected in the face of strong competition from the UK academic development and administration organisations because it was able to offer both academic and practitioner expertise.
Council leader Jim Keight commented: "Knowsley Council is delighted that this partnership with Liverpool University has produced such an opportunity to assist local government in South Africa. Not only do we hope to support the development of local government in South Africa but this will provide invaluable practical experience and development opportunities for the council and its staff."
Local government in South Africa was neglected under apartheid, with the majority black population excluded from democratic participation and from services such as education and health care.
Democratic structures of local government were only introduced in November 1995 and considerable work now has to be done to ensure that the new councils are able to contribute to South Africa's reconstruction and development.
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