Higher Certificate in Local Governance and Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to enable qualifying students (national and in Africa) to acquire normative basis and language ability by developing cognitive and intellectual skills in the field of study.

Students are prepared to fulfil the roles and responsibilities of administrators or entry level managers, local government councillors, officials or other employees or persons involved in local government affairs who aspire for a managerial capacity at an entry level and therein:

• Act as representatives of the community they serve.
• Fulfil political leadership and administrative roles in a local government council and other local government divisions.
• Acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field of Local Governance and Management.

Rationale

This qualification aims to develop vocational, theoretical and applied competences of students at Level 5 in the implementation of public sector legislation and policies on continental, national, provincial and local government levels, good governance, and public management principles and methods. It further develops the intellectual and professional skills of students. The qualification prepares students to meaningfully participate in the management and governance of Local Government sector institutions in South African and Africa in general, and as such, contributing to the National Development Plan: Vision 2030 (NDP) in particular.

The qualification content and scope provides will enable learners to develop thier knowledge and skills. It will prepare students as well as employees (i.e. those students already employed in public sector institutions), through the discipline-specific nature of the programme to meet the continental, national, provincial and local labour market, knowledge and other socio-cultural needs in this scarce-skill governmental environment.

This qualification will be offered in a Distance Online (DE) mode, to give students who are unable to attend contact sessions an opportunity to increase their skills levels in the workplace and to expand the institution international footprint.

This qualification aims to provide key competences to employees and students to best fulfil their mandate in respect of improving the lives of all the citizens in urban and rural areas in Africa. The qualification provides students with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes required to provide a proactive link between the public, the local government council and administration. These employees plays a critical role in the administration and political overseeing of the municipality's functions within the Local Governance sector and will be involved in a variety of functions including integrating the statutory and regulatory frameworks for local government, participating in policy making and analysis processes, financial management and budgeting, Human Resources (HR) functions, Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and Local Economic Development (LED), facilitating local government elections and applying a broad managerial and leadership framework to the local government environment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Faculty of Management accepts RPL as an integral part of education and academic practice. It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the Faculty of Management will endeavour to assess prior learning and award credit where relevant.

The Faculty of Management manages RPL according to the University's RPL policy, which will be applied as follows for purposes of this qualification as set out in the Faculty of Management policy:

• Through RPL a student may gain access, or advanced placement, or recognition of status, on condition that he/she continues his/her studies at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
• Recognition takes place in terms of requirements and procedures applied by the Faculty of Management.
• RPL in the case of a student not complying with the formal entry requirements:

> Is based on other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience.

> Is considered only where prior learning corresponds to the required NQF-level.

> Takes place where prior learning in terms of applied competencies is relevant to the content and outcomes of the programme.

> Is considered in terms of an assessment procedure that includes a motivated recommendation by an assessment panel to the Dean's Committee of the Faculty of Law and is finally decided upon by the Faculty of Management's Dean's Committee.

The following Faculty documentation can be accessed from the yearbook as it pertains to this programme

• Admission policy for this programme.
• RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to the Higher Certificate are

• National Senior Certificate (NSC), granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 5 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 5, 120 Credits

• Statutory, Regulatory, Policy and Institutional Framework for Local Government, 24 Credits.
• Local Government Policy Making and Analysis, 16 Credits.
• Leadership and Local Governance, 16 Credits.
• Integrated Development Planning (IDP), 16 Credits.
• Local Economic Development (LED) for local government, 16 Credits.
• Municipal Financial Management and Budgeting, 16 Credits.
• Local Government Human Resources Management, 16 Credits.

1. Outline the nature of local government as it applies to the core statutory, regulatory, policy and institutional frameworks that impact on local government functions in contrast to other levels of government and describe the broad institutional, managerial and administrative framework of local governance.
2. Describe theories and techniques to participate in local government policy making and analysis.
3. Implement leadership and good governance.
4. Explain theories, principles and processes to facilitate Integrated Development Planning (IDP).
5. Explain theories, principles and processes to facilitate Local Economic Development (LED) in local governance.
6. Identify financial management and budgeting principles and budgeting support processes in a local government setting.
7. Explain Human Resources (HR) management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

- Interpret, outline, describe and explain

> The nature and context of Local Governance according to the varying categories of municipalities, the statutory, regulatory and policy framework that informs local government in South Africa and the characteristics of developmental local government.

> The structural framework of local government in relation to the spheres of local government and the interaction between national, provincial and local government in general and co-operative governance in particular.

> The functional framework of local government in relation to the municipalities' function of executing their statutory responsibilities as contained in the Constitution and the overall goal of democracy.

> The policy framework of municipalities in relation to the nature of democracy within the framework and the overall structures, functions and roles within local government.

> The process and functions for achieving citizen participation and the various roles, powers and functions associated with this.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

- Explain, interpret and describe

> The nature of local government policy making in relation to why policy analysis is undertaken, the different types and levels of policy, who makes municipal policy and why and how policy is developed.

> Local government policy agenda setting in relation to the policy-making process, the driving forces that influence agendas, approaches to agenda setting, the role of participation and the ability to critically assess a government or interest group's methods of agenda setting.

> Local government policy analysis, design and decision making in own work context via a process of objective and goal setting, scenario forecasting, examining alternative policy options and taking cognisance of the complex operating environment in which municipalities operate.

> Local government policy implementation utilising a variety of implementation strategies and in relation to the key issues and lessons of experience regarding policy implementation in the local government environment.

> The process of local government policy evaluation and review via the design and utilisation of assessment tools and impact determinations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

- Identify, explain, describe and implement

> Local governance leadership with specific reference to managerial, national, provincial, municipal and political leadership.

> Leadership fundamentals, styles, traits, skills and attributes in local governance.

> The significance of leadership to create an innovative, learning organisation for local service delivery.

> Team leadership and leadership communication.

> Selected leadership issues with specific reference to strategic and visionary leadership, transformational leadership, and leading change.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

- Explain and describe

> The concept of Integrated Development Planning (IDP) in relation to the inter-jurisdictional, inter-disciplinary and sustainability dimensions impacting on local government.

> The statutory requirements for IDP in relation to the key role players involved the roles and responsibilities of all role players including districts and provinces in the IDP process and the concept of popular participation as a requirement in the IDP.

> The context of IDP in relation to the national planning framework, the intergovernmental relations in IDP and organisational capacity building for IDP.

> The processes associated with IDP.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

- Describe and explain

> The concept of Local Economic Development (LED) in the context of South African local government and according to the rationale for LED and the economic requirements for LED for sustainable growth and development.

> The statutory basis for LED in South Africa in relation to the specific role of local government, the emerging good practice and policy in LED and capacity implications for LED engagement.

> The essence of LED according to economic problems, plans and performance, the concept of supply and demand and the interventions in the local economy required in relation thereto, competition and the components of the local economic system as it relates to LED.

> The components of LED strategy development.

> The varying types of LED interventions and projects.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

- Identify and describe

> The role and purpose of a municipal budget in relation to the Municipal Finance and Management Act (MFMA) and overall financial regulations and the need for credibility in budgeting within local government.

> The methodology, procedures and frameworks for preparing a municipal budget in the context of local government objectives.

> Policies that impact budgeting in relation to local government objectives.

> The fulfilment of procurement activities and supervision of procurement administration.

> General budgeting techniques in the context of local government budgeting regulations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

- Describe and explain

> The principles of job analysis and design in accordance with local government human resources requirements.

> The principles of recruitment and selection in relation to the overall roles and responsibilities required in local government functions and within the legislative framework governing recruitment and selection.

> Training and development plans in relation to the benefits and advantages of training and the various methodologies are contrasted and discussed in accordance with how the plan can best be addressed.

> Performance management in relation to how it addresses overall municipal operational needs and the varying methodologies for managing performance are contrasted to determine best approaches in a local government context.

> Labour relations with examples relating to methodologies for implementing disciplinary processes are identified in relation to the overall labour relations legislative framework.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment strategy for all modules in this qualification is one of continuous assessment. The assessment method for four modules comprises a summative written assignment for each and the assessment method for the three modules comprises a formative assessment in terms of the completion of learning tasks which, when combined, constitute a portfolio and will be used to assess the learning outcomes in an integrated manner. Learning tasks form a coherent whole, and are authentic in nature. The final assessment is an examination of the content of three modules will be moderated in terms of the Institutional Moderation Policy.

Assessment takes place in accordance with the institutions Assessment Policy and the Faculty specific assessment policy. This qualification implements four summative assessments during the course of the programme, one final summative assessment at the end of a module as the means of learning evaluation. The lecturer for each of the above-mentioned modules determines the assessment method to use in each instance.

Specific assessment regulations are determined by the Faculty Board and approved by Senate. Programmed specific assessment criteria, rules and regulations, are communicated to students in all learning guides. The development and implementation of assessment methods is based on the institution's and Faculty's principles of assessment. A variety of 'fit for purpose' methods of assessment is used by the assessor/s within a module to assess the students as defined by the learning outcomes.

Assessments include the following outcomes based activities

• Observation of real or simulated tasks, e.g. practical exercises and self-evaluation tasks.
• Evaluation of a product after a task has been completed, e.g., assignments, case studies or portfolios.
• Written questions, e.g., tests examinations, including short or long questions, essays, multiple-choice questions, etc.

All assessment activities are accompanied by a memorandum/assessment marking guide. The number and range of assessment methods used are included in the Learning Guides. Every assessment opportunity carries a predetermined weight that takes the integration of the outcomes into account.