Will municipalities drive South Africa’s growth agenda?
Municipalities across the country will gather at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) National Members Assembly on November 25-27, 2025, at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa’s growth agenda will take centre stage.
The Assembly, which takes place days after the G20 Leaders Summit under the theme “Empowering Municipalities to Drive South Africa’s Growth Agenda through Economic Resilience and Sustainable Service Delivery”, will provide the local government sector with an opportunity to take stock of the gains made since the Local Government Elections for 2021.
Municipalities will play a critical role in steering South Africa towards a robust economic future amidst the complexities of local governance.
Ward councillors’ skills gap
However, the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) commissioned a study aimed at understanding the skills gaps that currently exist in ward committees, as well as the training interventions and support structures required to address these skills gaps and enable ward committees to operate more effectively. Key findings from this study are:
Primary research found that 53% of respondents reported having a post-matric education, whilst 26% of respondents obtained matric. The results further showed that 25% of respondents from rural ward committees obtained a qualification beyond Grade 12, as opposed to 67% in urban ward committees – indicating that rural ward committees have significantly lower levels of education than urban ward committees. When analysed by municipality, it appeared that the education levels of ward committee members in metropolitan municipalities are generally higher than those in district municipalities.
Other key findings from the study regarding skills gaps indicated that:
The skills in which the lowest number of respondents indicated they were skilled were budgeting, basic accounting and policy development.
Only 47% and 48% of respondents indicated that budgeting and basic accounting, respectively, are required skills.
Skills gaps are more apparent in rural ward committees.
Not all ward committees received training, and those which did were not trained consistently or effectively.
Respondents indicated further training on the responsibilities and duties of ward committee members is required.
The lower education profile of certain ward committee members reduces their ability to benefit fully from training provided.
Portfolios are assigned based on members’ interests rather than their skills and prior experience, resulting in a lack of skills required to manage the portfolio successfully.
“We are on the verge of a new chapter of local government, and as such, it becomes important that as a sector we reflect on the state of local government, the current legislative framework and the kind of bold reforms that are needed to ensure the sustained delivery of basic services and to accelerate the country’s growth agenda,” explains SALGA President Bheke Stofile.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile is billed to address over 1000 local government practitioners, policymakers, and sectoral stakeholders that are participating in the 2025 NMA.