Local Economic Development (LED) support is a shared mandate within the public sector.The following are the most central role players within the Provincial Government:
- Department of Economic Development & Environmental Affairs
This department is responsible for economic policy, planning and support in the Eastern Cape, and is supported in this mandate by a number of public entities, including the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and the Eastern Cape Tourism Board.
The Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEA) works with other departments to ensure that support is given to all the facets of LED, including sector support, the strengthening of the facilitation roles of municipalities, and the mobilisation of partners and finance. More information on DEDEA can be found at www.dedea.gov.za - Eastern Cape Development Corporation
The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) is the largest public entity of DEDEA. It provides financial and project development support and has a network of offices in the Eastern Cape.
More information on the ECDC can be found at www.ecdc.co.za - Department of Local Government & Traditional Affairs The Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs (DLGTA) is responsible for support to municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
One of the focus areas of this support is strengthening of municipalities in their task of creating an enabling environment for economic development, as foreseen in the National LED Framework. More information on the DLGTA can be found at http://eclgta.ecprov.gov.za - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
This department is responsible for the development of the agricultural sector in the Eastern Cape, and works with DEDEA and its public entities to promote the development of processing of agricultural produce.
The mandate of this department is being broadened by the recent addition of responsibility for rural development to its portfolio. More information on the department can be found at www.agr.ecprov.gov.za
The Office of the Premier, as the custodian of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan, and the Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) are also important role players in ensuring that larger provincial investments are leveraged optimally for the benefit of local economies.
The Provincial Treasury, which is the Contracting Authority for the Thina Sinako Programme, is a key role player in supporting the effective leveraging of government expenditure for LED.
Important public sector support agencies of the national government include the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, and the Industrial Development Corporation.
Of course, the public sector on its own cannot bring about effective LED, as local enterprises (including collective enterprises) are what make for actual economic activity. By entering into developmental partnerships with each other and the public sector, these enterprises can make noticeable impacts on their local economies.
Organised business and civil society organisations can play an important facilitative role, whereas business development support agencies can assist enterprises to grow and develop on their own and within partnerships.
