Strengthening South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystem

South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) brings together a diverse range of actors, including social enterprises, cooperatives, civil society organisations, philanthropy, business, government and development partners.

However, strengthening the impact of this ecosystem requires greater collaboration, stronger connections between stakeholders and more coordinated approaches to addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

The symposium “Building South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy Ecosystem: From Fragmentation to Systems Transformation” will bring together leaders and stakeholders from across these sectors to explore how South Africa can move towards a more connected and coordinated SSE ecosystem.

The Symposium Will Focus On

The engagement will create a platform for stakeholders to:

• Explore ways of strengthening South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy ecosystem.
• Address fragmentation across the SSE landscape.
• Encourage greater collaboration between different stakeholders.
• Facilitate policy dialogue around the development of the SSE ecosystem.
• Share knowledge and perspectives across sectors.
• Explore approaches to achieving systems-level transformation.

Who Will Be Part of the Conversation?

The symposium will bring together leaders and stakeholders from:

• Government
• Academia
• Business
• Philanthropy
• Civil society
• Social enterprises
• Cooperatives
• Development partners

The diversity of participants is intended to create space for cross-sector dialogue and collaboration around strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy in South Africa.

Format

The symposium will be held as a hybrid event, allowing participants to attend either:

• In person, or
• Online via Zoom Webinar

Event Details

Date: 27 August 2026
Time: 09:00–15:00
Venue: University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa
Format: Hybrid – In-person and Online via Zoom Webinar

Convened By

The symposium is convened by:

• Catalyst Now South Africa
• University of Johannesburg – Department of Business Management
• Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UCT)
• Africa Youth Philanthropy Network

Registration

Participants can register to attend the symposium online via the provided Zoom Webinar registration link.

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XyORp_imR76HviKzwZYZmg

The draft programme is available on request.

Why Participate?

The symposium provides an opportunity for stakeholders working across the Social and Solidarity Economy to connect, exchange knowledge and contribute to discussions on how the sector can move from fragmented efforts towards a more coordinated ecosystem capable of supporting broader systems transformation.