The current auditor-general (AG), Tsakani Maluleke, in the 2022-’23 local government audit again flagged the main weaknesses impeding progress in South African municipalities. These include inadequate skills capacity, a culture of non-accountability and consequence, as well as governance failures. We have repeatedly heard this before.
A predictable surprise, argues Canadian-born author of books on leadership and negotiation Michael Watkins, arises out of failures of recognition, prioritisation, or mobilisation – when leaders inevitably had all the information about an imminent disaster but failed to act.
- This year in April, the University of the Free State (UFS) handed over a report commissioned by the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSeta) titled It was a mission to convince municipalities to participate, one official highlighted.
Drawing from the responses of a research sample of 572 participants (managers, non-managers and HRD professionals), in 17 municipalities in five provinces, the report concluded that HRD is not being effectively measured and managed, despite a 26-year-old enabling policy framework (Skills Development Act, 1998 and the Employment Equity Act, 1998). The evidence points to a lack of understanding, application and integration of evidenced-based HRD, which if addressed effectively, would increase capability of the municipalities.
The organisation of HRD in municipalities is problematic and line managers are not equipped to manage the implementation of projects. The HRD outputs are excluded in the key performance areas for line managers and interventions are not monitored by the department managers. Line managers, HRD professionals and non-managers are also not collaborating effectively to achieve the objectives.
Furthermore, councillors and shop stewards (key internal stakeholders) do not understand their roles and responsibilities. Senior managers are not supportive of HRD programmes for employees, despite people management being identified as a key competency for senior managers.
More so, employees are unaware of the impact of the municipal staff regulations on municipalities.
The Municipal Staff Regulations (2021) place municipalities on a new trajectory with a renewed emphasis on increasing organisational capabilities through linking organisational structure and strategy and focusing on performance and development.
A glaring absence or awareness of change-management plans is evident. The LGSeta, the South African Local Government Association (Salga), and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) are not collaborating, amid evidence suggesting collaborations have the potential to improve the situation.
Ethical values are poorly practised, evidence thereof is in the lack of managerial commitment to equal opportunities for the development of people.
The competencies and contributions of staff to service delivery are not fully recognised. Because skills development audits are poorly conducted, HRD interventions are not undertaken in line with employee development plans.
- The municipalities do not apply a variety of approaches, such as formal and informal development, and employees are not presented with sufficient opportunities to practise new competencies and post-skills development interventions.Dr Harlan Cloete is a research fellow at the UFS’ Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, focusing on local governance.
