Standerton is showing South Africa what’s possible when government, the private sector, and communities align. Through the Seriti Institute’s partnerships, over 3 000 jobs have been created, local parks have been revived, and food gardens established.
Standerton in Mpumalanga shows what works. Now we must fix what holds us back.
When the president referenced Standerton in the State of the Nation Address last night, it was a moment of recognition — not for one organisation, but for a model that works.
Through the Presidential Employment Stimulus and the Social Employment Fund (SEF), Standerton has seen visible change. Dumping sites have been cleared. Parks have been built. Community vegetable gardens are feeding households. More than 2 000 work opportunities have been created over the past four years.
The National Youth Service (NYS) has added another layer — equipping young people with skills, discipline, and pathways into agriculture, enterprise, and community leadership.
Since 2022, to date, the NYS has created over 1 200 work opportunities in Standerton. This impact has been driven through our aRe Bapaleng programme, which strengthens the early childhood development ecosystem and promotes early learning and child development. It also supports tech-driven community development initiatives and strengthens youth pathways through comprehensive training in work readiness and soft skills.
Investing in communities
At Seriti Institute, we work through a tri-sectoral partnership model – government, private sector, and community.
Government provides the enabling policy and funding framework. Without the Presidential Employment Stimulus programmes such as the Social Employment Fund and the National Youth Service, this scale of impact would not be possible.
The private sector brings investment, markets, and technical expertise. In Standerton, our partnership with Astral Foods Ltd has been important. As the largest employer in Standerton through their poultry farms and processing plant, Astral Foods Ltd supports the Social Employment Fund and National Youth Service initiatives as an enabler through infrastructure and logistics. This is an investment in the social well-being of the communities and families who live and work in Standerton.
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The community brings labour, local knowledge, and ownership. Community members clear the land, tend the vegetable gardens, protect the parks, and sustain the work long after a project cycle ends. Without local ownership, no programme survives.
Standerton proves that public employment can do more than provide temporary income. It can restore dignity. It can build local value chains. It can prepare young people for enterprise. It can seed long-term economic activity.
However, sustainable development requires functional local systems.
Water supply is critical for growth
The ongoing water challenges in Standerton must be addressed urgently. Agriculture cannot thrive without reliable water infrastructure. Community food gardens cannot scale without stability. Investment cannot grow where basic services are uncertain.
Municipal leadership plays a decisive role. Service delivery is not separate from economic development – it is foundational to it.
Standerton has demonstrated what is possible when partnerships function. We must now ensure that local governance aligns with the ambition of national policy and community effort.
We call on the municipality to work more closely with Seriti Institute and other local implementing partners to unlock the next phase of growth. This includes making land available for agricultural expansion, stabilising water and electricity supply, and improving access to basic infrastructure.
If we align infrastructure, governance, and economic opportunity, Standerton will not only be an example in a speech; it will be a blueprint for rural economic renewal.
Land without water cannot produce. Gardens without utilities cannot scale. An enterprise without serviced sites cannot grow. The foundations are in place. The partnerships exist. The community is ready.
We now need coordinated local leadership to sustain the momentum.
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