National School Of Government

In his 2020 State of the Nation Address (SoNA), President Cyril Ramaphosa placed emphasis on confronting South Africa’s challenges: rebuilding institutions and removing impediments to investment; ensuring excellence in planning and execution in government and placing the South African economy on a path to recovery and inclusive growth. Consequently, the ability of South Africa’s elected leaders to lead ethically, efficiently and decisively has increasingly come under scrutiny.

Within this context, the National School of Government (NSG) designed an annual Economic Governance School Programme for Members of the Executive as part of its support to the government’s commitment to building a capable state. Pertinently, the 2019-2024 Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) places high priority on realising a capable, ethical and developmental state, followed by economic transformation and job creation.

Approved by Cabinet in August 2020, the innovative programme, which is supported by the European Union (EU) as part of the “Public Service Training and Capacity Building Programme” intends to enhance leadership and oversight capabilities and broaden perspectives through analysis and critical reflection; and enable members of the executive within the three spheres of government to reexamine governance challenges that constrain inclusivity and sustainable economic growth.

“Credit rating downgrades, low economic growth, high levels of unemployment and recurring lapses in ethical leadership have a frustrating effect on domestic efforts to overcome the stubborn legacy of socio-economic imbalances. What the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated so far is that leadership needs to evolve; it cannot remain stagnant nor cling to dated practices when the world and systems are changing. Most importantly, leadership should be decisive in terms of policy consistency and fiscal responsibilities to inspire confidence,” says Busani Ngcaweni, NSG Principal.

The 2021 programme, the second since the commencement of the programme (Economic Governance Summer School) in November last year, has been hailed as a resounding success with forty members of the executive having attended the virtual sessions this year in compliance with lockdown regulations. They were challenged to analyse and reflect on their own decisions in the portfolios they lead and the extent to which these can be characterised as manifestation of effective governance.

Participating members of the executive in this years Economic Governance Winter School included Ms Patricia De Lille and Ms Noxolo Kiviet, respectively Minister and Deputy Minister for Public Works and Infrastructure; Mr Ronald Lamola and Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa, respectively Minister and Deputy Minister for Justice and Correctional Services and Ms Thembisile Nkadimeng, Executive Mayor of Polokwane, and President of SALGA, among others.

“The key takeaway for me was the debate around the developmental state […], especially with consideration to whether we have the right structure and competencies to deliver on this [as public servants],” commented De Lille.

In broadening the range of perspectives on key issues, the programme is also delivered in partnership with the Wits School of Governance which provides depth of expertise across the sub-themes of Governance and Economic Growth; Development and the Global and Regional Economy; Fiscal and Monetary Policy Interventions; Building State Institutions as Instruments of Growth and Leading Inclusive Growth.

Further training offered for local government officials by the NSG include:

Local Government Leadership Development Programmes

• Legislator Capacity Building Programme (2 Components) Component 1: Certificate in Governance and Leadership Component 2: Graduate Certificate in Advance Governance and Public Leadership

• Leading Innovation in the Public Service

• Day Workshop on Leading Change Functional and Specialist Training

• Contract Management MFMA

• Bid Committees: MFMA

• Strategic Sourcing: Strategy Assessment

• Municipal Finance Management Programme

• Project Khaedu: 2 Modules

• Ethics Management in Local Government

• Monitoring and Evaluation Programme

• Evidence-Based Policy Making

• Theory of Change (ToC) for Planning

• Demand Management

• Advanced Acquisition Management

• Mainstreaming Gender in the Public Service

• Foundation Management Development Programme

• Emerging Management Development Programme (EMDP)

• Advanced Management Development Programme

Enquiries about the Economic Governance Programme should be directed to: Mr Khomotso Radebe at khomotso.radebe@thensg.gov.za/ +27 83 268 0219. Enquiries about Local Government Programmes should be directed to: The NSG Contact Centre: contactcentre@thensg.gov.za/ 086 100 8326 / 012 441 7000