The Joburg City Council has launched a fund for creative and solution-oriented initiatives to help improve service delivery.
This was said at Sankopano Community Centre during the citywide launch of the Community Innovation Fund. The fund is part of the billion rand Jozi@Work programme launched last year to support community organisations, companies and co-operatives involved in service delivery projects.
Ephraim Pooe, of Region E, said R50 million had been set aside for the fund for the period from October to June 2016. “It will be allocated through a rigorous process overseen by independent adjudicators for innovative, cost-effective, solution-oriented initiatives that will improve service delivery and create jobs. It will not support past failed initiatives, franchises, existing products or services, capital projects and multilevel marketing.”
Pooe added that contenders would have to demonstrate innovative solutions to be carried out by registered companies and co-operatives, and must benefit the community and create employment. They must show business viability and an improvement to service delivery.
The fund, he said, would be allocated in two portions for initiatives, one that would be imminent and lead to quick solutions for city service delivery challenges; and to products and services which still need further development in the interest of service delivery.
Pooe added that successful initiatives would still remain the intellectual property of the inventors, but procured by the council for citywide implementation for a period of one year. “The inventors will still have the rights to sell their innovation to other customers.”
He advised that the adjudication process would be vigorous to ensure the ideas are legitimate to minimise lawsuits.
Those wanting to cede their creative ideas in the interest of improved service delivery are urged to submit proposals to the Region E Office, 24 Fredman Drive, Sandton before 26 October.
