17 February 2004

NEARLY 200 Eastern Cape councillors received certificates for completing an accredited councillor development training programme at a graduation ceremony on Friday, the Daily Dispatch reported today.

The programme, launched in June 2002, was run in partnership between the Housing and Local Government Department, the South African Local Government Association Eastern Cape (Salga EC), the Development Bank of Southern Africa's (DBSA) development fund, Border Technikon and consultants Vantage.

The course aimed to equip the 197 councillors from across the province with life skills, which will help them beyond their terms of office and ensure their competitiveness in both the public and corporate sector.

According to the newspaper the certificate was accredited by Border Technikon and was compliant with the National Qualifications Framework. The training involved a number of aspects including policy making, planning for sustainable development, local government finance, municipal service partnerships and project management.

Housing and Local Government MEC Gugile Nkwinti told the newspaper that the training programme would help the councillors find other jobs should they not be re-elected following the end of their term.

Source: The Daily Dispatch