ANNOUNCEMENT OF TRAINING COURSE FOR MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS

22 December 2000

Following the successful local government elections, Minister F S Mufamadi, Minster for Provincial and Local Government has announced that an induction training course for municipal councillors will be launched on 9 January 2001, at a venue to be announced closer to that date.

The course, entitled the Core Councillor Training Programme, has been developed by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) with support from the Department of Provincial and Local Government and with funding from the Norwegian Government.

At the launch, Minister Mufamadi will address the trainers, many of whom have been or are serving councillors who have already undergone training on the modules that have been specially developed for the training course.

Minister Mufamadi said that he is confident that every councillor will be eager to attend this course, as it is an induction programme for councillors, encapsulating all the core areas required to fulfil their responsibilities as representatives of communities at a local level.

Every councillor will be receiving personal invitations to the courses, which will be run concurrently in all provinces between 17 January and 3 March 2001.

Key elements of the training include:

• The legislative context of Developmental Local Government and the demands on councillors
• Understanding the institution of local government and its interrelationships with other spheres of governance
• The strategic role of local government in the process facilitating gender equity and the deepening of democracy,
• Code of conduct for councillors
• The role of the councillor as a political manager and employer vis-à-vis the administration
• Linking financial processes to other planning processes
• Drafting of budgets from proposal to decision
• Labour relation training such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, conflict resolution
• Integrated Development Planning and Local Economic Development
• Basic leadership and organisational skills training specifically for women councillors

Members of the media are invited to attend this important launch

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY FOR PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON 21 NOVEMBER 2000

FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT ELROY AFRICA AT 082 7822600