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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 a catalytic tool developed by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) to foster collaboration among municipal administrations, councillors, and the local community. The model employs a five-step process—Purpose, Making Sense of the Challenge, Vision and Hope, Implementing and Adapting, and Reflection and Learning—to move beyond traditional problem-solving. The model was piloted in 2025 in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality (focusing on the Pearston water crisis) and the Newcastle Local Municipality (focusing on tuckshop regulation and local economic development). A subsequent train-the-trainer workshop was held in August 2025 in Gauteng to refine facilitation materials and guide representatives from SALGA, PARI, and the pilot municipalities.

The COMPACT Local Government Collaboration Model is a structured framework and facilitation guide aimed at fostering effective partnership between three key municipal stakeholders: administrators, councillors, and the community. Developed by Distillery and piloted in the Blue Crane Route and Newcastle municipalities, the model addresses a lack of collaboration identified through action research in 12 partner municipalities. The process consists of a preparation phase, a two-day workshop divided into five modules (Orientation, Making Sense of the Challenge, Vision and Hope, Implementing and Adapting, and Reflection and Learning), and a structured follow-up phase spanning 12 months. The guide includes specific facilitation tools such as stakeholder mapping, the Cynefin Framework for problem classification, and various 'energizers' to maintain participant engagement.

The document details citizen engagement workshops held in 12 South African municipalities as part of the COMPACT project's second phase of action research. With 262 participants, the workshops identified significant failures in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) participation process and a lack of communication between municipal leadership and communities. These findings are being used to develop a COMPACT Toolbox and individual municipal reports to establish a baseline for improving public participation.