Economic Development Partnership - EDP

Partnering innovation often happens in the “in-between spaces” - WhatsApp groups, informal networks, and trust-based coalitions.

Diale Josiah Lodi's story about how Jozi My Jozi works to establish and implement partnerships in Johannesburg demonstrates this.

But why do these spaces sometimes outperform rigid systems? And how do we protect these adaptive spaces from political and financial pressures? How do we ensure they adhere to good governance?

Explore ideas: https://wcedp.co.za/edp-x-change-2025-knowledge-product/

The EDP is proud to renew its strategic partnership with DGMT in convening the award-winning Social Employment Network (SEN).

Convened by the EDP and core funded by the Industrial Development Corporation, the SEN is based on the EDP's model of a community of practice that enables peer learning, collaboration and knowledge exchange across the Social Employment Fund’s Strategic Implementing Partners.

This renewed partnership will deepen peer-driven learning and strengthen the SEN’s role as a knowledge conduit between the SEF partners and the broader public employment ecosystem, supporting evidence-informed decision-making and collective learning grounded in collaborative practice.

Real change doesn’t happen overnight.

At the EDP, our partnering implementation model involves designing collaborative processes, bringing people together, and building the capabilities needed for successful partnerships.

By equipping partners to lead their own collaborative processes, we ensure that change is grounded in real-world context and moves beyond a tick-box exercise.

Explore our case studies to find out more about how the EDP helps forge sustainable partnerships that create solutions: https://wcedp.co.za/case-studies/

The EDP has a proven track record of creating spaces where unlikely partners come together, build trust and co-design solutions.

From provincial government to private industry, from academia to grassroots organisations, we’ve helped diverse stakeholders align around common interests and deliver real impact across South African communities.

If you’re looking to collaborate across sectors, the EDP can help you make the connections that matter and last.

Find out more about how the EDP creates designs partnering processes, brings partners together, and builds the capabilities needed to work together: https://wcedp.co.za/partnering-method/

A single truth drives much of the EDP’s work: no single organisation can solve complex challenges. But...

How exactly can shift outcomes beyond what any single organisation could achieve?

Find out how the EDP help build partnering capabilities by facilitating the Water User Platform.

This platform unites government, municipalities and bulk water users to tackle shared challenges - from blocked canals to invasive plants. By building trust and fostering mutual accountability, this work has led to long-term resilience.

Read the story about how partnering capabilities help make the water supply system in the Western Cape more resilient: https://wcedp.co.za/impact-water-user-platform/