9 January, 2006

By Mogale City Reporter

WITS University has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mogale City following a meeting last month between the two parties to discuss strategic co-operation.

The meeting was held to consider strategic areas of co-operation and the broader interests of the public and private sectors in Mogale City.

Led by Executive Mayor Advocate Lentswe Mokgatle and Vice-Chancellor Professor Loyiso Nongxa, the relationship between the two parties focuses on the municipality's desire to excel in its core function of service delivery.

It would also like to be known for its expertise in this field, and to take a lead in economic, social and political reconstruction through good governance.

"The university as a partner brings its profound experience in research and training capabilities as well as its wide range of high-level technical and scientific strengths to create an understanding of the dynamics of various fields in integrated local development," Mokgatle said.

Co-operation ultimately would benefit both parties in achieving "the quality, competitiveness, effectiveness and international positioning that both parties desire".

They acknowledged the need for greater innovation and creativity in managing the affairs of South Africans and of other Africans. This could be done by making full use of the financial and natural resources at their disposal to find solutions to Africa's problems and to develop the capacity and knowledge to make these solutions work.

Aims and objectives of the collaboration include responding to the needs of the municipality's economic sectors in relation to development of the skills, competencies and attributes required by it and the public and private sector.

It will also focus on responding to the research and policy needs of the municipality and aims to recognise formally the educational and research strengths of the university, and to complement this with community outreach programmes in Mogale City to accelerate development.

Some of the key areas of collaboration include:

• the efficient, effective and transformative use of the City's resources;
• improving the quality of public service;
• assisting the municipality to meet the national developmental goals of local government;
• facilitating more productive and stronger relationships between the municipality, its business community and the university to encourage economic development, particularly in sectors such as industrial, commercial, financial, transport, trade and information technology; and
• staff development and learner support programmes.

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