COPAC - Co-operative and Policy Alternative Center
COPAC Description
The vision of this website is to promote the cooperative idea, worker cooperative movement building and cooperative sector development in South African society and on the African continent.
Our mission is to provide the necessary information, technical tools and capacity building resources to achieve this.
This photo shows the leadership of one of the most successful producer cooperatives in South Africa. It is the Highveld Organic Rooibos Tea Cooperative. This cooperative is based in Nieuwoudtville on the border between the Western Cape and Northern Cape. It produces and exports 60 tons of organic Rooibos tea. The leadership together with the membership (51 farmers) owns and works in their cooperative.
News
The Department of Trade and Industry has contracted the Growth Laboratory (G'Lab) to conduct a survey of all registered cooperatives in South Africa. They really need to speak to you to assess the needs of your cooperative and clarify how DTI can help.
The Nomzamo Cleaning Cooperative, a worker cooperative, in existence since 2001 has been successfully providing cleaning services to the University of Fort Hare. On 26th March the University decided to terminate the tender arrangement with the cooperative and has instead chosen to procure the services of a private company called Homeguard.
About nine construction cooperatives, involved in brick-making and other construction related activities, are meeting to form a secondary cooperative to coordinate and support their activities. These cooperatives are located in the East Rand of the Gauteng Province. Both cooperators and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan government are excited about this development.
New publications and policies
This study provides an overview of the current dynamics within the Ethiopian cooperative movement. It is a resource for researchers, cooperators and activists on the African continent who are trying to come terms with the challenges of movement building.
This research report focuses on twenty case studies of successful cooperatives on the African continent. It also includes case studies on two successful cooperative colleges on the continent.
COPAC is putting this discussion document into the public arena to stimulate a debate about how to rebuild the cooperative movement in post-apartheid South Africa. After two failed attempts, through top down interventions, the document argues for the rebuilding of the cooperative movement from below as a movement -of -movements.
This discussion paper provides an overview of the current state of the South African Cooperative Sector. This includes a focus on the statistical profile of coops, the role of government policy and the state of the cooperative movement.
The Cooperative and Policy Alternative Center (COPAC)welcomes this opportunity to review the national Cooperatives Act 14 of 2005and to participate in a national consultative process with other stakeholders.Our starting point for engaging this process recognises: (1) the Cooperatives Act 2005 is generally progressive andtakes on board most international principles and values that uphold thed
Upcoming Events
23 October, 2008 - 13:00 - 25 October, 2008 - 20:00
Lisbon - Portugal
ICA's first official fair to promote co-operative business.
ICA Expo 2008 is for co-operatives and their organisations to participate in a unique trade fair - drawing attention to the quality of co-operative products and services, 23-25 October 2008, Lisbon, Portugal.