Post-election support will be given to municipalities throughout KwaZulu-Natal, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said on Thursday.

Dube-Ncube was speaking at a press briefing at Cogta offices in Durban, outlining preparations for the upcoming elections on August 3.

According to Dube-Ncube, the department would assist municipalities once the elections are over. She said Cogta would assist with the constitution of elected councils, orientation, induction and capacity building for newly-elected councillors.

She said post-elections assistance would take place after the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) handed over results to provincial government.

"Our department must thereafter ensure that, within 14 days since this announcement, all councils are functional. Our facilitation will include assistance in the swearing in of all office bearers and the establishment of municipal committees."

Dube-Ncube said Cogta aimed to have all councils constituted as quickly as possible, "so they are able to start work from day one".

She added that councillor induction programmes would be conducted by the South African Local Government Association and Cogta within two weeks of the first meetings of newly elected councils.

"This will be followed by focussed and specific capacity development modules for mayors, speakers and other municipal office bearers."

Once newly elected councils had concluded their election of office bearers, the process to establish 870 ward committees in KwaZulu-Natal would begin, Dube-Ncube said.