Rotondwa Madala, a professional town planner in the Tsantsabane Municipality in the Northern Cape, has made strides in his career as the only town planner in this municipality.
Through Anglo American’s Municipal Capability and Partnership Programme (MCPP), Madala was encouraged to attain a masters degree in regional and town planning at the University of Pretoria (UP). His story highlights how strategic collaboration between the private sector and government can unlock human potential, strengthen municipal capacity, and drive sustainable development in mining communities.
The MCPP is an initiative that has been contributing to strengthening municipal capacity across South Africa’s mining regions since 2019. It addresses how mining companies and government can collaborate to tackle development challenges unique to mining towns and regions. The programme focuses on enhancing planning, water management and infrastructure delivery.
Since inception, MCPP has supported eight municipalities across South Africa, contributing nearly R200 million and has seen about 226 officials from these various departments and councillors actively participating in the programme.
When Madala joined the municipality in 2021 as the second town planner ever appointed, he found a department with outdated documents and limited support structures.
“We had to run around looking for funds and support,” he recalls.
It changed in 2022 when he encountered the MCPP. The programme provided technical assistance and surrounded him with experienced professionals including Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists and seasoned planners who became mentors and collaborators.
This support network inspired Madala to pursue further education. Already holding a four-year professional degree in Town Planning and a postgraduate diploma in Public Management, he decided to complete a master’s in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria. His research focused on investigating whether mining towns engage with their post-mining future.
Madala faces significant challenges, yet he emphasises the human element of his work, which he describes as improving the life of people in communities.
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