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The Asivikelane initiative gives a voice to informal settlement residents in South Africa's major cities who face severe basic service shortages.
The invitation followed through SANGOCO (South African NGO Coalition) and its affiliate, Ikhakha le Afrika, a Non Profit Organisation promoting community safety with Road Safety and Informal Settlements Disaster Risk.
This engagement formed part of a broader national conversation focused on strengthening inclusive, community-driven waste management models, particularly within informal settlements.
The session, convened at the offices of the International Budget Partnership (IBP) South Africa, brought together a diverse network of stakeholders across government, academia, civil society and private sector partners.
The participating organisations included IBP South Africa, the City of Tshwane, the City of Cape Town, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Stellenbosch University, Ikhakha le Afrika, Brasika Consulting, 1to1 – Agency of Engagement, and a range of independent project consultants and practitioners.
The dialogue focused on practical pathways for scaling municipal reforms in waste minimisation, including infrastructure development, procurement systems, budgeting processes and the role of tertiary institutions in supporting capacity development.
The focus was on the experiences of informal settlement residents and strengthening collaborative partnerships between communities, municipalities and knowledge institutions.
Nelson Mandela University’s participation contributed to exploring how higher education institutions can support these national efforts through teaching, research and engaged scholarship, aligned with the Hubs of Convergence (HoC) approach.
The engagement further strengthened relationships with key national partners and opened opportunities for future collaboration in advancing sustainable, community-centred waste management solutions.