​The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Economic Development launched a Youth Cooperatives Development Programme in Coronationville, Randburg in Region B on 18 October 2021.This in an effort to help young people register cooperatives and to advocate for cooperative enterprise models to be seen as opportunities for job creation and sustainable livelihoods in communities.

The programme aims to support 500 young people between the ages of 18 and 35 with cooperatives compliance in all the City’s seven regions. The City will help with training and thereafter link them with procurement opportunities available in the City.

Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Economic Development in the City of Johannesburg Cllr Tom Mofokeng urged the youth to register as the programme is primarily intended to address the persistently high youth unemployment rate.

“In a concerted effort to fight unemployment, poverty and inequality, the City has embarked on a drive to encourage the youth to form cooperatives. This will foster empowerment by facilitating ownership and management of cooperative enterprises as well as productive assets by communities.

“Johannesburg has been called a city of opportunities and as the City we want to continue to provide opportunities for residents. We are exploring co-production approaches to service delivery to greatly expand access to opportunities.

“This co-production model will assist in ensuring the cooperatives development approach is aligned to service delivery processes and as result the money spent by City on service delivery will remain in communities to develop them economically,” said MMC Mofokeng.

Co-production is part of a range of approaches that includes citizen involvement, participation, engagement and consultation in the delivery of services. It is also a model designed to create an opportunity for communities to partner with the City, in the delivery of municipal services in their own neighbourhood.

Participants of the Youth Cooperatives Development Programme are trained in business ownership, registration, regulatory compliance, and market access through cooperative development and on completion of the training, co-operatives are encouraged to tender for opportunities available within the City. Focus sectors identified by the City are in infrastructure, environment, construction, food and beverage, services, clothing and textile.

Neo Mogotsi from Etsang Dieta Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative shared how their cooperative kept afloat due to the assistance from the City during the devastating effects to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The City of Johannesburg has played a key role in our cooperative. The City has been consistent in its development programme and following up on our operations. The role of cooperatives in communities are critical and it’s for that reason that they should be treated as a business.

“We are not only directors but workers. That entails knowing and being involved in every aspect of the business, from market competency, finance, producing of quality products, operations, management and administration and well-defined duties for everyone,” said Mogotsi.

Their cooperative, with a focus in school shoes manufacturing, is currently headed by five female directors, two of whom are under the age of 35.  It was founded in 2010 to create wealth and transfer skills to particularly the young black community. It has more than 50 employees, with the majority being young people.

Young people interested in being part of the programme may register and make their submission online or visit any one of the City’s Opportunity Centres.

Click here to download the Youth Cooperative Registration Form

Click here to register online for the Youth Cooperatives Development Programme

For more information, contact: Malusi Mbusi 083 444 5555 malusim@joburg.org.za or Lawrence Selemakoro 083 571 5778  LawrenceS@joburg.org.za

Written by Lydia Mathobela-Nhlapo

19/10/2021