South Africa's Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has disclosed that out of 257 municipalities in the country, only 113 have reported conducting skills audits. This information was provided in response to parliamentary questions from DA MP Marina van Zyl. The minister's response also revealed that only four major metropolitan areas - eThekwini, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Tshwane - have conducted skills audits.
According to Minister Hlabisa, all 54 municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and all 22 municipalities in North West have conducted skills audits, showing 100% compliance in these provinces. In other provinces, the number of municipalities that have conducted skills audits varies: 16 in the Western Cape, eight in Gauteng, eight in Mpumalanga, and five in the Free State. The minister noted that the information provided is not a complete national record, as the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Northern Cape had not submitted their information at the time of the report.
The Local Government for Municipal Staff Regulations, issued in 2021, require municipalities to determine their skills needs and conduct staff skills audits. These audits aim to identify competency and development gaps, informing workplace skills plans, employee development, and municipal capacity-building measures. Minister Hlabisa clarified that the KwaZulu-Natal skills audits were conducted during the 2020/21 financial year, before the Municipal Staff Regulations came into effect in July 2022.
Minister Hlabisa's response also addressed the outcomes of the skills audits, stating that Cogta has not received consolidated and verified information on actions taken by individual municipalities against employees identified as having inadequate qualifications. The minister emphasized that a skills gap does not necessarily imply that an employee lacks prescribed qualifications or is subject to disciplinary action. Municipalities are responsible for verifying qualifications and taking appropriate action where necessary.
In addition to skills audits, the minister was asked about lifestyle audits. Cogta does not presently hold consolidated and verified information on municipalities that have conducted lifestyle audits, the dates on which such audits were conducted, or actions taken in respect of asset non-disclosures. The department is strengthening the sector-wide skills-audit system to promote greater consistency in methodology, reporting, and use of skills-audit outcomes across municipalities.
Minister Hlabisa also addressed separate questions from ActionSA MP Alan Beesley regarding the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) reports. Cogta does not presently hold consolidated and verified information on municipalities, service providers, individuals, and municipal accounting officers identified in the SIU reports. The department has referred the question to the SIU to provide verified information from its investigations and reports.
The South African government is working to enhance transparency in public service through lifestyle audit regulations, with completion expected by the end of the 2028/29 financial year. The Department of Public Service and Administration plans to amend lifestyle audit guidelines to address challenges faced by provinces, including resistance from civil servants and funding constraints.
Key points
- Only 113 of 257 South African municipalities have reported conducting skills audits.
- All municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and North West have conducted skills audits, showing 100% compliance.
- The South African government is working to expand lifestyle audits to all municipalities to enhance transparency in public service.