All interested individuals from civil society and government are invited to the launch of the abovementioned report which will be held on Thursday 8 May 2008 in Johannesburg.

The Good Governance Learning Network (GGLN) was founded in 2003 as an initiative to bring civil society organisations working in the field of local governance in South Africa together to network and share information and lessons towards the goal of promoting good governance, participatory democracy and effective service delivery at local level. Now in its second phase (2007 - 2009), the network has fourteen member NGOs based in four provinces and collectively working in over fifty municipalities countrywide.

The report entitled Local Democracy in Action: A Civil Society Perspective on Local Governance in South Africa is the culmination of eighteen months of research by the members of the network. The project has sought to produce a civil society-based assessment of the key challenges, debates and areas of progress with regard to local governance and development in South Africa, and to provide local government policy-makers and practitioners with practical recommendations to improve policy, guidelines, systems and interventions where necessary. The report is also intended to be used to build awareness of, and mobilise support within civil society and appropriate government institutions for, the key advocacy positions of the GGLN.

The launch will take place at the Centre for Policy Studies, First Floor Rosepark South, 6 Sturdee Avenue, corner of Baker Street, Rosebank, Johannesburg. The event will start at 16h30 and end at 18h00, followed by drinks and snacks.

Individuals interested in attending are requested to RSVP to Candis Glover at the Foundation for Contemporary Research on 021 418 4173 or email by Tuesday 6 May 2008.

Best Regards,

Karen Bekker-Craill

Administration Manager