Umhlaba Rural Services (URS) is a private company providing consultancy services in rural development and rural local government. Umhlaba, which has offices in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal, provides its services across the Southern African region. Consisting of a team of skilled and experienced development practitioners, Umhlaba Rural Services has extensive experience in project and program planning and
development implementation and management.
The Company provides its services to state institutions, as well as to civil society organisations and donor agencies. Umhlaba Rural Services works with a range of specialist and professional associate consultants who are drawn in to different projects and programs based on their expertise and experience. These associate consultants are supervised by the directors of Umhlaba Rural Services.
The Company’s directors collectively have more than 50 years of experience in rural development. Umhlaba Rural Services is a member of the Umhlaba group, a group of companies with a long and sound reputation of development consultancy in Southern Africa. Other members of the group include Umhlaba
Development Services, Umhlaba Skills Services, and Umhlaba Health Strategies. This provides Umhlaba Rural Services with the advantage of being able to draw on the considerable expertise and capacity across the group to provide integrated services to its clients.
Mission
Umhlaba Rural Services is committed to effective and efficient rural institutions of governance, and local development planning and implementation processes that are able to, through utilising all available
opportunities and resources, maximise local integrated rural development thereby promoting socially and economically viable and sustainable rural areas and settlements. Umhlaba Rural Services thus aims to assist development institutions to design, implement and evaluate appropriate and effective rural
development initiatives.
Equity and Empowerment
As part of our commitment to national transformation and development, Umhlaba Rural Services has structured itself to promote the advancement of previously disadvantaged South Africans. Sixty seven per cent (67%) of URS is owned by previously disadvantaged citizens through a majority shareholding in URS by Umhlaba Development Services. Umhlaba Rural Services further contributes to empowerment through an active support program for staff, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This support includes in-job training and one-on-one mentoring.
Quality Assurance
Umhlaba Rural Services prides itself on the capacity, skills and experience of its professional staff and associate consultants.
Services
Umhlaba Rural Services provides a holistic and integrated package of services.
