CASE STUDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION MODEL

The document details the COMPACT Local Government Collaboration Model, which uses a five-step process—Purpose, Making Sense of the Challenge, Vision and Hope, Implementing and Adapting, and Reflection and Learning—to improve municipal governance. The model was piloted in 2025 in the Blue Crane Route and Newcastle local municipalities to address water crises and local economic development, respectively. Key findings emphasize the necessity of immersive problem-understanding, constructive problem framing, and strong local political buy-in for sustainable collaboration.

• The COMPACT Local Government Collaboration Model is structured around five sequential steps: establishing a common Purpose; Making Sense of the Challenge through systemic views; creating Vision and Hope via creative responses; Implementing and Adapting through co-created leadership principles; and Reflection and Learning to leverage growth for future action.
• Piloting in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality focused on a long-standing water crisis in Pearston, where site visits to non-operational boreholes provided participants with firsthand clarity often missing from boardroom discussions.
• The pilot in Newcastle Local Municipality focused on local economic development (LED) and spaza shop regulation, utilizing narrative-based immersion through fictional character stories because safety concerns made physical site visits unfeasible.
• Constructive problem framing is essential for quality collaboration; for example, in Newcastle, informal trade was reframed from 'unregulated chaos' to a potential economic driver to generate more creative solutions.
• The implementation of the model faced several challenges, including a lack of municipal buy-in, political resistance from councillors in Blue Crane Route LM, and logistical issues such as reliance on public transport in Newcastle.
• Critical success factors for the model's replication include visible commitment from municipal leadership (mayors, speakers, and managers), inclusive representation of stakeholders, and the establishment of clear follow-up protocols to prevent collaboration from being merely episodic.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (2026). CASE STUDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION MODEL. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COMPACT-Case-Study-on-Local-Government-Collaboration-Model-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. CASE STUDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION MODEL. 2026. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COMPACT-Case-Study-on-Local-Government-Collaboration-Model-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=CASE STUDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION MODEL |date=January 2026 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COMPACT-Case-Study-on-Local-Government-Collaboration-Model-FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitute2026case, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{CASE STUDY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION MODEL}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/COMPACT-Case-Study-on-Local-Government-Collaboration-Model-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }