MOVING FROM CAPACITY TO RESULTS: A NEW ERA OF COLLABORATIVE MUNICIPAL SUPPORT

Reflections from the Anglo American Municipal Capability and Partnership Programme and peer learning event.

By Elsona van Huyssteen, Sizo Sebake and Somila Rozani, Vickesh Bholai (CSIR)

In regions where economic pressures, service delivery demands and institutional limitations converge, collaboration becomes more than a strategyit becomes a lifeline. This spirit shaped the recent peer learning event of the Anglo American-funded Municipal Capability and Partnership Programme (MCPP), where eight municipalities gathered to reflect on their shared journey towards sustainable development.

Hosted at the CSIR Knowledge Commons in Pretoria and co-led by Anglo American and the CSIR, the event enabled the gathering of all eight participating MCPP municipalities in one space. It served not just as a reflective milestone but as a moment to showcase what the programme has achieved beyond capacity-building.

“The opportunity to learn from peers facing similar challenges was invaluable,” shared a municipal official. “It helped us refine our strategies and build confidence in our approach.”

Since its inception, the MCPP has focused on enabling municipalities in mining-linked regions to move from constrained service delivery to functional systems that can support growth. This includes strengthening water service delivery, infrastructure sustainability, spatial and economic development planning, and the coordination of public and private investment. See the accompanying

summary for a snapshot of the results that MCPP municipalities have achieved.

Crucially, MCPP is not about training or compliance checklists. It is a flexible, context-specific programme built on collaboration, problem-solving and shared accountability. Its success lies in pairing technical expertise with responsive coaching, peer learning and integrated teaming support, facilitating not just capability but visible results on the ground.

Municipal teams shared how they moved from limited or fragmented service responses to addressing organisational culture challenges, constraints in the value chains and aligning planning, budgeting, maintenance and operations. They also shared how meaningful development planning processes, evidence, as well as technical and facilitation support, enabled them to overcome regulatory and reporting paralysis, as well as bridge divides between political and technical arms, industry partners and community priorities. Officials reflected on the value of enabling joint planning and participatory processes and improving performance in infrastructure, land management and intergovernmental alignment.

“Strong municipalities are essential to the long-term sustainability of mining operations,” said Musa Jack, Anglo American’s Programme Manager. “This programme helps build the foundations for inclusive and resilient regional development.”

The programme commenced in 2020 through collaboration with the Department of Co-operative Governance and contribution by funders such as Kumba Iron Ore, DeBeers and former Anglo American Platinum (now Valterra Platinum) in collaboration with various partners such as Provincial Departments of Co-operative Government, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTAs), South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the Minerals Council (MC), CSIR, University of Pretoria, KAGISO Trust, National Business Institute, Infrastructure South Africa and others.

On the last day, collaborators were invited to join, and the peer learning event concluded with a gallery walk and open dialogue, enabling municipal officials to showcase and share the results achieved. It also featured a panel reflection on the GamagaraTsantsabane Mine-Municipal Compact, an example of how joint frameworks and regional collaboration can shift the post-mining trajectory.

Throughout, the contribution and leadership of municipal teams were celebrated, not for building capacity under ideal conditions, but for the real progress achieved in complex environments. Their stories highlight what can be achieved when support goes beyond skills training to unlock functionality, enabling collaboration and focusing on shared outcomes.

“In this time of reviewing the White Paper on Local Government, the MCPP offers a beacon of hope,” reflected CSIR Programme Lead Dr Elsona van Huyssteen. “It shows what becomes possible when we not only focus on technical and professional capacity, but actively strengthen institutional purpose, team functionality, developmental leadership and enable collaboration to shift from fragmented delivery to collective impact.”

From capacity to capability

1. Improved basic services and infrastructure management

• Water quality (Blue Drop): All five participating municipalities improved scores.

• Water security (No Drop): Two municipalities recorded scores for the first time.

• Revenue reporting: Water balance reporting institutionalised in three municipalities.

• Asset management: All eight municipalities adopted improved practices; three met funding prerequisites for National Treasury support.

• Municipal Infrastructure Grant: Participating municipality improved project delivery from 70% (with poor completion) to 87% (full completion).

2. Strengthened spatial and development planning

• Economic diversification: Seven of eight municipalities progressed long-term strategies from a baseline of 0.

• Spatial Development Frameworks: Five incorporated mining and settlement realities; four aligned directly to infrastructure and water planning.

• Planning influence: Updated plans informed four Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) and guided socioeconomic development in the mine (seven of eight municipalities).

3. Deepened collaboration and post-mining resilience

• Multi-stakeholder minemunicipal collaboration:

Compacts initiated and expanded in Gamagara and Tsantsabane, engaging mines, municipalities, provincial and national departments and key private sector players.

• Joint planning and investment alignment: In Mogalakwena, collaboration between mines, municipality, traditional leaders and over 500 stakeholders produced a shared long-term SDF and Local SDF; led to reactivation of the Local Economic Development (LED) Forum, alignmen of land and infrastructure priorities and stronger inter-stakeholder trust.

• Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality: Over 800 participants engaged in the Food Security Programme; City Development Strategy and Integrated Development Plans now reflect regional priorities.

Highlights from MCPP results

• Thabazimbi and Moses Kotane: Long-term LED strategies developed with private sector and traditional authority collaboration.

4. Functional teaming and individual growth

• Participants reached: 235 active individuals across 33 teams.

• In-service coaching: Shift in technical knowledge, work attitude and teamwork observed.

• Narrative feedback from 58 individuals (2024 results): - 59% reported organisationallevel change;

• - 87% reflected positive experience with 13% concerned about the future of institutions; - 55% credited improvements to inter-unit collaboration; and - 85% saw lasting value beyond the programme timeframe.

5.Practice and policy contribution

• Knowledge contribution: Inputs shared at National Local Economic Development Forum, Limpopo COGHSTA, South African Planning Institute 2024. Inter-municipal Asset Management, Capital Expenditure Framework training with Urban Management Academy, and research collaboration with UP.

• Asset handover guidelines: Shared and refined with 15+ mining houses and multiple municipalities (Limpopo and Northern Cape) in collaboration with the MC and SALGA.

Framework for Investment Impact in Mining Regions, developed and tested to address SLP and Integrated Development Plan alignment challenges.

• Technology and evidence tools:

• In collaboration with the CSIR, scenario modelling, growth profiling and climate risk adaptation were applied in mining towns.

For more information on the programme please contact:

Musa Jack, Anglo American Programme Manager at: musa.jack@angloamerican.com or Dr Elsona van Huyssteen, CSIR Programme Lead at: EvHuyssteen@csir.co.za