Strengthening Municipal Investment and Collaboration

Ms. Vailet Kowayi, Senior Advisor at SALGA, acknowledged capacity and resource constraints in district and municipal investment agencies.

SALGA supports municipalities through its Municipal Investment Profile project, helping package value propositions for investors, which districts can adapt to promote regional investment strategies.

She emphasised consolidating local LED strategies into district-level plans and stressed the importance of intergovernmental coordination to leverage provincial and national resources.

Despite limited funds, districts must feed into provincial investment agencies, which often prioritise metropolitan areas. SALGA includes districts in LED master classes to foster collaboration across all municipal categories.

Kowayi also highlighted the need to improve municipal-business relationships to prevent disinvestment, advocating for open communication to address challenges faced by businesses of all sizes, ensuring their sustainability and reducing the economic costs of disinvestment.