SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Higher Certificate in Municipal Management and Governance 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
101005  Higher Certificate in Municipal Management and Governance 
ORIGINATOR
University of Johannesburg 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Higher Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 05  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
67517  National Certificate: Municipal Governance  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  140  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of the qualification is to enable learners to apply the relevant competences required to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of local government councillors, officials or other employees or persons involved in municipal affairs who aspire for a managerial capacity and therein: Act as representatives of the community they serve and fulfil leadership and management roles in a council and other local government divisions.

Rationale:
The qualification is aimed at learners in a local government context who facilitate democratic relations between the community, local government and various stakeholders that impact on local government democratic processes. The qualification is aimed at providing key competences to councillors so that they can best fulfil their mandate in respect of improving the lives of all the citizens in municipalities. It provides the learner with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes required to act as a proactive link between the public and the council. The councillors within the local government context play a critical role in achieving the objectives of local government, especially the objective of defining policies and facilitating and managing sustainable development programmes that support the basic political commitment that 'the People Shall Govern'. They are critical to overseeing the councillor functions within the municipal sector and will be involved in a variety of functions including integrating the legislative framework for local government, participating in policy making and analysis processes, budgeting, facilitating local government elections and applying a broad managerial framework to the local government environment.

This qualification is in line with the overall learning pathways that the Department of Local Government is envisaging for its learners, both employed and unemployed. The learning pathway indicates a variety of learning opportunities for any learner embarking on a qualification within the local government context and this particular qualification initiates an opportunity for councillor in a managerial capacity to be more intricately exposed to the local government workings. The learning pathway starts with the National Certificate(NC): Ward Committee Governance, continues with the National Certificate(NC): Local Government Councillor Practices and the Further Education and Training Certificate(FETC): Leadership in Local Government. If the learner wishes, he/she can pursue a learning pathway in Local Government Administration and Finance, Local Economic Development, Integrated Development Planning and Municipal Financial Management. Further, this qualification can also provide the learner with a springboard into a Career and learning pathway in the public sector. The learning pathways provide varied opportunities for a learner wishing to embark on a career within local government and are also complementary to other qualifications with the public sector. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning(RPL):
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is done in accordance with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy. In cases of students not complying with the formal entry requirements, RPL will be determined in accordance with the policy and guideline of the University concerning the recognition of other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. Recognition takes place only where prior learning corresponds to the required National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level, and in terms of applied competencies relevant to the content and outcomes of the qualification. Through recognition of prior learning, learners may gain access on condition that they continue their studies at University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Entry Requirements:
  • National Senior Certificate National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises of compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 5 totalling at 120 Credits.
    Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 120 Credits:
  • Municipal Policy Making & Analysis, 18 Credits.
  • Regulatory & Institutional Framework Local Government, 18 Credits.
  • Municipal & Financial Management, 18 Credits.
  • Integrated Development Planning for Municipalities, 18 Credits.
  • Integrated Led Strategies for Municipalities, 16 Credits.
  • Municipal Project Management, 16 Credits.
  • Municipal Human Resource Management, 16 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply a broad managerial, administrative and financial framework to a local government environment.
    2. Design, implement, monitor and evaluate local government plans for development projects.
    3. Apply theories and processes to facilitate local government elections.
    4. Interpreting and explaining the legal framework that impacts on local government.
    and integrating it into overall municipal governance functions.
    5. Explaining and applying theories and processes to facilitate Integrated Development Plan(IDP) and LED.
    6. Explaining the broad managerial and administrative framework to municipal governance.
    7. Explaining and applying the principles of sustainable development in local government.
    8. Interpreting, explaining and applying local government planning and project management processes for municipal governance and local government development. Participating in municipal policy planning and policy making as well as in municipal Financial and Human Resources support processes. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The Associated Assessment Criterion highlighted below will be integrated within the Exit Level Outcomes:
  • General management and administrative principles are analysed and integrated into the municipal environment.
  • The principles of financial management and budgeting are applied to own local government context.
  • Client service techniques are applied to improve service delivery.
  • Project management plans are integrated into municipal governance processes in order to make governance more effective.
  • The principles of sustainable development are applied to local government.
  • An understanding of the various plans in local government processes is demonstrated in relation to how they are formulated and integrated into various municipal projects.
  • The needs and situation in own constituency are analysed and concepts developed to address needs.
  • Contributions are made to municipal policy making and analysis processes based on needs identified in development projects and based on overall strategic objectives of local government.
  • An understanding of democratic processes is demonstrated.
  • An understanding of the election process and its facilitation is demonstrated accordingly.
  • Electoral theories are analysed and interpreted and appropriate choices are made for local government elections.
  • An understanding of the local government electoral dispensation is demonstrated via own facilitation of election processes.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Because assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the Qualification. Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably linked. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the unit standards should be integrated. Assessment of the communication, language, literacy and strategic analysis and planning competencies should be conducted in conjunction with other aspects and should use authentic municipal development contexts wherever possible. A variety of methods must be used in assessment and tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the learner is working. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment. The term 'Integrated Assessment' implies that theoretical and practical components should be assessed together. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied-ed, foundational and reflective competencies.

    Assessors and moderators should make use of a range of formative and summative assessment methods. Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. Assessment should ensure that all specific outcomes, embedded knowledge and critical cross-field outcomes are evaluated. The assessment of the critical cross-field outcomes should be integrated with the assessment of specific outcomes and embedded knowledge. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Introduction:
    Internationally, there are several countries that offer qualification for local government councillors. In particular, substantial qualifications were found in: United Kingdom, United States, Australia. The best aid to designing and evaluating Local Government Qualifications was found in Australia. This was the only qualification associated with unit standards and assessment criteria.

    In African countries, councillor development is facilitated in:
    Tanzania
    Tanzania has local structures starting from: Sub-Village Assembly, Village Government, Village Assembly, Ward Development Committee, District Council, Regional Secretariat. At present Tanzania is trying to come to terms with failures in its planning strategies and looks at programmes for councillors and ward committees. Unfortunately, no training materials could be found on a web search.

    Zambia:
    Zambia is still setting up suitable public participation processes. To date, the focus has been on social development of the urban poor. This was in realisation of the rising levels of poverty and economic reform policies of the 1990s that caused rising levels of unemployment and high cost of living. It has little to do with participative democracy and more with a 'Food for Asset', program aimed at turning poor communities of Zambia into viable producers of food for themselves and for sharing with the community. Thus, Zambian councillor activities and related programmes centre more on poverty alleviation programmes and there seems to be a lack of planning and municipal processes and structures as in the South African scenario.

    Malawi:
    Malawi instituted a Local Governance and Development Management Programme in 1997 to contribute towards the eradication of poverty in Malawi by improving governance through improved broader citizen participation in decision-making and, the enhanced performance of central and local government in district development.

    The United Nations Development Program participated in capacity building for effective decentralised participatory development at district and community levels aimed at enhancing government and civil society capability to design, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate anti-poverty programmes. The specific capacity building strategies included undertaking civic education for local governance, human rights and sustainable livelihoods issues. On the web search, no training materials could be found.

    Ireland:
    Ireland is the country that does not have a specific qualification for councillors. However, it does have a similar type of induction handbook as in South Africa. This handbook articulates to a generic management diploma and in relation to this, the following modules are offered:
  • Managing the business.
  • Managing resources and information.
  • Managing people for personal effectiveness.
  • Managing people - teams and individuals.
  • Managing communication.
  • Managing change.

    This modular approach is based on the Competency Framework for Public Sector Managers, developed in conjunction with the Chief Executives' Forum. Supervisory, Administrative and Operational Staff Development:
  • Competency based programmes, which are accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management, are available to employees in supervisory, administrative/clerical and operational posts.
  • As can be seen, Australia has the most comparable qualifications to the South African and it offers full qualifications in local government and also has a unit standards based approach. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows for both vertical and horizontal articulation options:
    Vertical Articulation:
  • Diploma in Local Government Law and Administration, Level 6.
  • Diploma in Local Government Management, Level 6.
  • Diploma in Local Government Finance, Level 6.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Higher Certificate in Local Government Management, Level 5.
  • Higher Certificate in Local Governance and Management, Level 5. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification.
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. University of Johannesburg 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.