The Lejweleputswa District Municipality is looking to strengthen community-based co-operatives as part of its plans to promote the sustainability of small income-generating ventures.

The executive mayor, Mathabo Leeto, said to this end, the municipality has identified and ‘adopted’ three co-operatives that will be provided with financial and skills development support.

“The development of co-operatives has been identified by the government as one of the critical and viable means to alleviate poverty in our communities,” said Leeto.

She pointed out that government acknowledges the existence, relevance and value of informal, traditional co-operative-type organisations, adding that the Co-operatives Development Policy of 2004 highlights the importance of integrating them into the formal economy.

“The document is aimed at promoting co-operatives, in order to unleash their potential to create and develop income-generating activities and decent, sustainable employment; reduce poverty, develop human resource capacities and knowledge; strengthen competitiveness and sustainability. It will also increase savings and investment; improve social and economic well-being; and contribute to sustainable human development.”

The first co-operative that the municipality took under its wing is the Phelang Basadi Co-operative of Nyakallong, Allendridge. It is made up of seven women who started making coffins in 2012.

The women had the skills and motivation, but needed financial assistance to complete their dream. The municipality’s intervention has made a major difference to their business.

“We are very grateful to the Lejweleputswa District Municipality for their assistance in making our business a success. We started last year by working from one of the members’ homes, but today we have two facilities that we operate from.

“We had no idea when we started that the business will grow so immensely. So far we have hired four employees and the creation of these has made a huge change to the lives of these people. We manufacture coffins, we do the catering, and hire out tents and toilets,” said the project manager, Matselso Eliza.

The district municipality has also assisted the Thusano Basadi Manufacturing Co-operative, a mat weaving business, by providing training in co-operative management and various skills development courses, as well as procurement of equipment and materials.

The co-operative, which consists of six women and operates from the Welkom Industrial Park, has made a name for itself in the district.

In 2010, these women were runners-up in the department of agriculture’s annual top small holder entrepreneurship competition. In 2011 and 2012 they were again second runners-up in the Matjhabeng Local Municipality’s Tourism Awards in the Arts and Crafts category.

“There are still a lot of people we would like to employ in order for them to better their live and change their current living conditions. Being part of this co-operative has made has us self-reliant,” said one of the members of the co-operative, Sellwane Petleki.

The Lejweleputswa District Municipality also assisted all co-operatives with the registration and training, business plan and purchasing of various material and machinery for the Free State Leather Manufacturing Co-operative.

The co-operative consists of seven people from Welkom and manufactures school shoes.

“We are grateful that our hard work has been recognised by the district. We have been manufacturing shoes since 2009 and our dream is to manufacture shoes for learners in the entire Free State,” said one of the employees, German Sebutsa.