Business, Commerce and Management Studies Public Administration

Local Government Policy and Legal Framework Overview Training

SAQA US 244175 | NQF 3 | Credits 10 | Duration 7 Days
From $1,523 per delegate

Description

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the policy and legal framework that governs local government in South Africa. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of key legislation, including the Constitution, the Municipal Structures Act, and the Municipal Systems Act, and how these laws shape municipal governance, service delivery, and community participation.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the constitutional and legislative framework for local government in South Africa.
  • Explain the roles and responsibilities of key municipal structures and functionaries.
  • Apply the principles of cooperative governance and intergovernmental relations.
  • Analyze the legal requirements for municipal planning, budgeting, and performance management.
  • Evaluate the mechanisms for public participation and accountability in local government.
  • Implement basic compliance measures in line with relevant local government legislation.

Target Audience

This course is designed for municipal officials, councillors, and staff working in or with local government who need a clear understanding of the legal and policy environment. It is also suitable for community leaders and NGO representatives engaging with municipal processes.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, prior experience in a local government environment is beneficial.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Local Government and Policy Context

Objectives:
• Understand the role and structure of local government in South Africa.
• Identify key legislation governing local government.
• Explain the relationship between national, provincial, and local government.
• Recognize the importance of policy in local governance.

Topics:
• Overview of the South African government system
• The Constitution and local government
• Municipal Structures Act, Municipal Systems Act
• Roles of councils, mayors, and officials
• Policy development processes
• Public participation in policy making

Day 2: The Legal Framework for Local Government

Objectives:
• Describe the legislative framework for municipalities.
• Understand the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
• Explain the Division of Revenue Act and its impact.
• Identify key legal obligations of municipalities.

Topics:
• The Constitution Chapter 7: Local Government
• Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA)
• Municipal Systems Act (MSA)
• Municipal Property Rates Act
• Division of Revenue Act
• Legal responsibilities of municipal managers

Day 3: Policy Formulation and Implementation

Objectives:
• Define policy and its role in local government.
• Understand the policy cycle: formulation, adoption, implementation, evaluation.
• Identify stakeholders in policy development.
• Analyze a sample local government policy.

Topics:
• Policy concepts and types
• The policy cycle
• Stakeholder engagement and participation
• Drafting policy documents
• Policy adoption processes
• Implementation challenges

Day 4: Key Policy Areas in Local Government

Objectives:
• Discuss integrated development planning (IDP).
• Explain spatial planning and land use management.
• Understand service delivery policies (water, electricity, waste).
• Recognize the role of by-laws.

Topics:
• Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
• Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA)
• Service delivery and municipal services
• By-laws: creation and enforcement
• Environmental policies
• Housing and human settlements

Day 5: Financial Management and Accountability

Objectives:
• Understand municipal budgeting and financial planning.
• Explain revenue collection and expenditure controls.
• Identify audit and oversight mechanisms.
• Discuss consequences of non-compliance.

Topics:
• Municipal budgeting process
• Revenue sources: rates, tariffs, grants
• Supply chain management
• Financial reporting and audits
• Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC)
• Consequences of financial misconduct

Day 6: Ethics, Governance, and Public Participation

Objectives:
• Define ethical governance in local government.
• Understand the Code of Conduct for councillors.
• Explain mechanisms for public participation.
• Analyze case studies on governance failures.

Topics:
• Ethical principles in public service
• Code of Conduct for Councillors
• Public participation: ward committees, IDP forums
• Access to information and transparency
• Combating corruption
• Case studies on governance challenges

Day 7: Integration, Review, and Application

Objectives:
• Synthesize knowledge from all days.
• Apply legal and policy frameworks to real scenarios.
• Develop a basic policy brief.
• Prepare for assessment.

Topics:
• Review of key concepts
• Case study analysis: applying legal and policy frameworks
• Drafting a policy brief
• Group presentations and feedback
• Assessment preparation
• Course evaluation

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 09 Sep 2026 Thu 17 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Tue 29 Sep 2026 Wed 07 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Tue 27 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,523 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Tue 15 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Fri 15 Jan 2027 Mon 25 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Thu 18 Feb 2027 Fri 26 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,523 Register
Wed 03 Mar 2027 Thu 11 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Wed 17 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Tue 23 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,523 Register
Fri 11 Jun 2027 Mon 21 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,523 Register
Thu 01 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,523 Register
Wed 21 Jul 2027 Thu 29 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,523 Register
Tue 07 Sep 2027 Wed 15 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Tue 05 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Fri 22 Oct 2027 Mon 01 Nov 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,523 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Tue 14 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
Fri 31 Dec 2027 Mon 10 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
Thu 20 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,523 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 18 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,607 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 18 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $4,525 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Wed 19 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $3,769 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 20 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $5,929 Register
Thu 13 Aug 2026 Fri 21 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,284 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Thu 17 Sep 2026 Fri 25 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Wed 07 Oct 2026 Thu 15 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Tue 27 Oct 2026 Wed 04 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,982 Register
Tue 15 Dec 2026 Wed 23 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Tue 26 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Fri 26 Feb 2027 Mon 08 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,982 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Thu 25 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Wed 31 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Tue 22 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Fri 09 Jul 2027 Mon 19 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Thu 29 Jul 2027 Fri 06 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,982 Register
Wed 15 Sep 2027 Thu 23 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 05 Oct 2027 Wed 13 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Tue 02 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,982 Register
Tue 14 Dec 2027 Wed 22 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Tue 11 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Fri 28 Jan 2028 Mon 07 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,982 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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