SANACO PRESS RELEASE ON THE 1st NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CO-OPERATIVES
13 April 2011 South African National Apex Cooperative LTD in partnership with DBSA, Department of Higher Education and Training, Department of Trade and Industry and Walter Sisulu University will be conducting the National Conference on Co-Operatives starting from the 18th till the 20th of April at DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, MIDRAND, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA the Conference will focus much of its efforts on the eradication of poverty at both the household and community levels, creation of income-generating opportunities in a range of productive sectors, as well as promotion of entrepreneurship and the integration of presently marginalized communities into the national economy. There is general sufficient consensus about the development of cooperative in our country as an alternative to the creation of employment to our poor people within the society. Given the condition of our people within the country there is an inflating rate of unemployment that continue to affect young people as the majority and it is within that pretext that SANACO see the importance of convening all the cooperatives in the country to come together and device strategies to resolve social problems facing people in South Africa. If we go by its literal meaning, the word “Cooperative” means a jointly owned commercial enterprise which produces and as well distributes its goods and services around people whose interests is centered around it. These organizations are generally formed and operated for the benefit of those who are associated with it. For a developing country like South Africa the co operatives may play a crucial role for the general upliftment of the South African economy. Most of the Cooperatives have seen their survival through the adequate support they received from their government and the classical example about this is especially the dairy co operatives like Amul and others have provided financial independence and solvency to thousands of rural folk of India. It is in that regard that SANACO assembles all cooperative under the roof of the DBSA to share knowledge and further device decisive intervention as an alteration to the dwindling economy of our country. Amongst other things the conference will focus at the following objectives. · To provide an opportunity for systematic dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge on the national vision and strategies around the establishment, promotion and regulation of co-operatives in South Africa; · To establish a forum for the dissemination of ideas and sharing of knowledge and experience through the presentation of well-researched case studies and other material by leading scholars, academics, practitioners, activists, representatives of communities, civil society, the labour movement, national and regional co-operative organizations; · To examine thoroughly the question of how to integrate co-operatives into the national economy; · To foreground the CRDP as the anchor on the basis of which the establishment of a strong co-operative movement can be developed in rural South Africa; · To establish a forum for identifying sustainable solutions to the known challenges and logjams that presently inhibit the successful operation of many co-operatives in South Africa; · To locate the efforts around the development of co-operatives within the broader context of social and economic development policy and practice, particularly agrarian transformation, rural development, and the establishment of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs); · To add value to the current efforts of government and its agencies in a number of related areas around co-operatives, including assisting the government to develop a strong and viable best practice management system for co-operatives through an integrated approach that will tap into the inputs made by the conference participants; · To provide a forum for the intensive training of members of co-operative associations in basic management issues as well as on matters related to production and access to finance and markets; and · To provide the participants with the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that will be essential for their own work environments. SANACO would like to encourage all other sector of the society to take to cognisance the importance of the cooperative development as a more significant area of intervention in terms of employment creation and building of a strong economic reservoirs of our country. This Conference will set the future goals that our country should explore in terms of building a responsible economy that will address issues of unemployment and inequality in our country. For more information contact Takalani Mmbengeni the National Spokesperson of SANACO at 082 625 1706 or [email protected] ____________________________________________________________ South Africas premier free email service - www.webmail.co.za Save on insurance with OUTsurance https://www.outsurance.co.za/insurance-quote/?source=webmailmailer&cr=jee11_468x60&cid=212 -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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