KZN government resolves to conduct skills audit

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council has resolved to conduct a skills audit in government to ensure that public servants deliver quality services to the citizens.

Addressing the Government Capacity and Performance Review Conference in Durban, on Monday, Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the skills audit has been conducted on municipal officials while the one for government departments will be finalized in 2023.

The skills audit on municipal officials revealed training needs for senior managers in amongst others, financial management, strategic capability and leadership, risk management, change management, policy development, and monitoring & evaluation.

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“Our province has developed a Framework for Mentorship and Coaching to address the findings of the skills audit. Councillors are being capacitated on the complexities of the District Development Model through the Integrated Councillor Induction Programme and Sector Based Councillor Orientation Workshops.

“The capacity development of Public Servants has been conducted – with 791 officials already trained. The repositioned Provincial Training Academy is prioritizing key skills and capacity building interventions to improve service delivery in partnership with the National School of Governance and other institutions.

“Through this partnership, several training courses have taken place, including the course of Ethics, Theory of Change and related competencies,” Dube-Ncube said.

In addition, the Office of the Premier, together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the Special Investigations Unit, the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority have begun working together in conducting the ethics and anti-corruption awareness campaigns.

The Premier was providing feedback during the three-day conference, which aimed at celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the adoption of the National Development Plan (NDP).

The conference brings together a variety of stakeholders working in the field of state capacity and government performance, including academics from across South African universities, researchers, public servants and cabinet leaders.