2011-08-15: Local co-operatives benefit from City support​

THE establishment of a Co-operative Support Office by the City to provide advice and support to co-operatives has been hugely successful.

It serves as a one stop shop for city co-operatives wishing to access development resources and initiatives. The Office assists largely with business plans, registrations and workshops and guidance on accessing national and provincial resources.

Some of these are access to funding, legal services, enterprise development and procurement.

Member of the mayoral committee for Economic Development Councillor Sello Lemao says, "During the 2010/11 financial year, 28 co-operatives were assisted with registration and 125 workshops conducted".

Councillor Lemao said that numerous co-operatives ranging from farming, recycling, cleaning, diamond, security and furniture were given extensive workshops as well as on skills development and supply chain management.

Johannesburg adopted a cooperative policy and implementation strategy in November 2008. Some of the objectives of the policy include ensuring broad based black economic empowerment, targeting the unemployed, women, youth and disabled, aligning City initiatives with national policy and enabling the development of a city co-operative movement.

"Joburg, a City where community development, personal growth and social mobility are enhanced so that challenges of poverty, vulnerability, inequality and social exclusion are fundamentally addressed".

Issued on behalf of:
Councillor Sello Lemao
Mayoral committee member
Economic Development

Issued by:
Virgil James
Spokesperson
City of Joburg
082 467 9415/011 407 7226