The TAMDEV Mandate
In July 2019, the National Business Initiative (NBI) was officially appointed as the project champion for the Technical Assistance, Mentorship and Development (TAMDEV) Jobs Summit Programme. The overall goal of TAMDEV is to strengthen the capacity of the State, with the aim of improving service delivery and creating jobs. Progress is reported to the Presidency, through Business Unity SA (BUSA), on a monthly basis.

Our Approach
We work collaboratively with government and business to jointly identify and implement priority infrastructure projects within local municipalities. Highly skilled retirees are trained to support and mentor permanently employed civil servants, through a focused skills transfer process, in the areas of project planning, implementation and management.
Our Partners
Government Collaborations – The NBI (TAMDEV) entered into a formal Agreement with the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG) as the Business Social Partner to the District Development Model. The Agreement allows the NBI the opportunity to collaborate with all sector departments, tasked with municipal interventions. Other partners include the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Eastern Cape COGTA, Waterberg District Municipality and Infrastructure South Africa (ISA).
Business Partners – The TAMDEV office is funded by the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA). Project funders include Business Leadership SA (BLSA), PPGI, EXXARO and other corporates. Advisory partners include SAICA, 50+Skills, iLimaLethu and NBI corporate members.


Our Focus Areas
- Strengthen the capacity of the state at local government level;
- Partner with municipalities to support water, energy, revenue management and local economic development projects;
- Support socio-economic development; and
- Promote and enhance public private partnerships.
Our Projects

1. Technical Mentorship to the Project Management Office in the Eastern Cape:
- Offering support to selected municipalities in the planning and execution of catalytic infrastructure projects.

2. Technical Mentorship to a municipality in Limpopo:
- Strengthening the infrastructure of engineering departments in the management of projects, funded by business to ensure timeous and effective delivery of services.

3. Technical Assistance to COVID-19 water solutions in Ekurhuleni Municipality:
- Design, manufacturing and installation of foot operated public handwashing facilities in high density areas.

How can companies get involved?
The TAMDEV model offers an opportunity for corporates to collectively address the skills deficit in municipalities by:
- The sharing of resources and funding;
- Participating in the collective partnership (as part of the NBI’s cross-cutting role in municipal support through the DDM and joint governance structures);
- Providing technical retirees as resources for Technical Assistance and Mentorship; and
- Training opportunities for civil servants.