The Mandate
TAMDEV builds on tested, workable practices and the deployment of retired experts and technical professionals from both the private and public sector to strengthen vulnerable public institutions and address service delivery constraints. Its mandate is to create jobs and improve service delivery by building and strengthening the capacity of the State in the areas of infrastructure, financial management and local economic development.
The Business Case
The ability to create and retain jobs is directly affected by a well-functioning local government sector. It is of the utmost importance to create an enabling environment for the business sector to flourish and be sustainable. There is a serious concern that the deficient service delivery at this level impacts severely on the efficiency and output of business and industry with the possibility of some industries relocating to other countries. The cost of business has in some instances increased dramatically due to stoppages
in production because of infrastructure deficiencies, i.e., water, sewage system and electricity. This directly affects employment and economic growth, and it is a major concern to business, government, and the affected communities.
Our Iterative Action Areas
Strategic stakeholder engagement – identifying and understanding areas of shared risk and opportunity for both the private and public sector. These opportunities and risks form the basis for designing collective action programmes and understanding implementation approaches.
Build capacity, with a focus on improving service delivery. Building parity in knowledge, understanding and capacity across partners enhancing potential success of collective projects.
Co-Design and implement collective action projects that lead to sustainable solutions which unlock developmental outcomes that drive economic growth; underpinning the notion of job creation.
The TAMDEV Pillars
Technical Assistance:
Provisioning of skilled, technical resources to assist institutions in the planning and effective execution and management of infrastructure and strategic projects.
Mentorship:
Enhancement and transferring of skills to permanently employed civil servants, through guidance, technical support, mentoring and coaching. Focussing on both hard and soft skills – emotional intelligence; work ethics; personal mastery and leadership.
Development:
Strengthening the knowledge base of civil servants through relevant, informal training and the professionalisation of public sector practitioners.
The TAMDEV Implementation Model
The TAMDEV Model, is implemented following the signing of a formal agreement between the relevant public sector institution and the NBI. Highly skilled retirees and semi-retirees, registered on our database, are carefully selected, trained and matched to the relevant senior civil servants for the transferring of skills (mentoring) and/or technical assistance for the unblocking of catalytic projects. A jointly identified project is used as the conduit for skills transfer to ensure measurable and tangible results. Progress is monitored, evaluated and reported on by an external, independent service provider. Risks and challenges are collectively managed and mitigated through the joint structures and reporting mechanisms.
The Funding Model
TAMDEV requires co-investment in time and human and financial resources by its contracting parties in order to successfully execute on its mandate. The funding requirements cover the costs of the stipends, training and management of the mentors and technical experts.
Positioning in Government
TAMDEV has consistently managed to establish a working relationship with government and continues to bridge the gap between the private and public sector in its various projects. A heightened awareness of
the role of TAMDEV, in both the private and public sector, has led to an increase in engagements and requests for support.
Our active relationship with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), provides TAMDEV and our Business partners, ongoing support and access to the relevant local municipalities and national and provincial institutions. Our partnerships also allow interactive workshops, dialogues, events and conferences, that create opportunities for the co- creation of solutions to poor service delivery as well as fostering and promoting trust and collaboration between the private and public sector.
The Involvement of Companies
The support of TAMDEV is demand-led – either at the request of the private sector or the public sector. SAPOA’s member companies could get involved in the TAMDEV programme by:
-
Identifying municipalities in their area of operations as beneficiaries of the TAMDEV support.
-
Actively participate in the process of development of skills transfer programmes.
-
Jointly identify the project(s) as the conduit
for skills transfer or technical assistance e.g maintenance of a pumpstation, road repairs etc.
The NBI will
-
Act as an intermediary between member companies and the relevant government institutions.
-
Facilitate the design and implementation of agreed interventions at the identified institution.
-
Identify and deploy relevant, technical skilled retirees to unblock projects or assist the institution in the execution of catalytic projects.
-
Create a platform for meaningful engagements to address key sector challenges.
Enquiries can be directed to:
Ruth Troskie Unit Head: TAMDEV and Building of State Capacity
