Centre for Development and Enterprise

General information

The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is an independent policy research and advocacy organisation. It is one of South Africa’s leading development think tanks, focusing on critical national development issues and their relationship to inclusive economic growth and democratic consolidation. By examining South African and international experience, CDE formulates practical policy proposals outlining ways in which South Africa can tackle major social and economic challenges. CDE has a special focus on the role of business and markets in development.

Established in 1995 CDE offers policy advice on complex challenges to all stakeholders, including government, our private sector funders and the broader public. The advice is informed by rigorous research, drawing on both international and local literature, reflecting lessons and experiences from both the public and private sectors, and high-level discussion.

CDE has a full-time staff of about 20 people and a core of senior consultants, and makes extensive use of local and international academics and other experts. Research produced for CDE is distilled into summary reports containing proposals that are intensively tested before different audiences prior to being released.

CDE runs an active outreach programme, aimed at disseminating its research and proposals as efficiently as possible. Thanks to its convening power, expert stakeholders are commonly brought together to debate research findings and policy proposals, and invited to take action.