Business School Graduation Ceremony
30 November 2007
South Africa is set to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of
halving poverty and unemployment by 2014 with renowned institutions like Wits
Business School adjusting to the curriculum needs of the country.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Certificate Programme in
Management and Development for Municipal Finance (CPMD) at Wits Business School
on Thursday, 29 November 2007, Gauteng MEC for Local Government Qedani Mahlangu
said universities were adjusting to the needs of the country.
"Without institutions of higher learning responding to the needs of the
country, we would not be able to respond to the needs and challenges in
municipalities," Mahlangu said. The Certificate Programme in Management and
Development for Municipal Finance has been designed by Wits Business in
partnership with the National Treasury and Local Government Skills Education
Training Authorities (Seta) to contribute effectively on the development of
critical management and leadership competencies at local government level.
The programme is designed for accounting officers, senior managers, chief
financial officers and other financial officers to acquire financial management
prescribed competencies that are critical in the implementation of the
Municipal Finance management Act (MFMA).
"Issues that we are grappling with as a country are as a result of the
history of our country. Universities are adjusting to the needs of the country
and challenges facing municipalities. Municipalities are catalysts in ensuring
development. There is a space and scope of leadership development. With the
development of this course, we are going to see a difference in municipalities
with prudent financial management.
"Municipal managers should not take pride in municipalities receiving
disclaimers and unqualified audit opinions from the Auditor-General. Although
we have very few qualified chief financial officers at local government level,
either because of salaries or that people are not interested to work in rural
areas," said Mahlangu.
The MEC said the municipal financial officers should ensure that the budget
is aligned to the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). "We must establish
credible budget system controls and put systems in place. Issues of financial
management cannot be compromised. At local government we must pursue prudent
financial management because if not, we are going to give residents false hope
and the perception of corruption will prevail.
"It has to be borne in mind that in Gauteng we are moving from Section 79
Committees to Section 80 Committees and we have also established Municipal
Public Accounts Committees (MPACs)," she said. Mahlangu added that the
programme would assist municipal managers and chief financial officers to
ensure that municipalities achieve unqualified audit reports by 2009.
In his welcome address, Wits Business School Director Professor Mthuli Ncube
said the programme was designed to address skills shortages in
municipalities.
"It was a meeting of minds to put the programme together. The programme was
established three years ago and this is for the first time it was introduced in
Gauteng and is run around all the provinces. "After completing this course I
hope that you will get municipalities in order. Several director-generals,
mayors and municipal managers have shown interest in the course," Ncube
said.
For more information contact:
Themba Sepotokele
Department of Local Government
Tel: 011 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial
Government
30 November 2007
