ICMA Engages with South African Local Government Management Leaders at iLGM Conference

ICMA staff members attended the Institute for Local Government Management (iLGM) annual conference in Franschhoek, South Africa, in October 2023. iLGM is one of ICMA’s nearly 40 international affiliate local government associations, and represents municipal managers serving in local governments throughout South Africa. The theme of this year’s conference was “30 Years of Democracy: Where are we as local government?” and iLGM invited speakers to share their knowledge and experience with attendees as they collaborated to strengthen their understanding of key issues facing local governments today.

Marc Ott, CEO/Executive Director of ICMA, was invited to speak on the importance of ethics-based leadership. With more than 40 years of leadership in local government, Ott addressed the ways in which his behaviors, actions, and conduct (along with that of every ICMA member) are rooted in the ICMA Code of Ethics. The discussion was particularly relevant in a reflection of the past 30 years of democracy as local governments seek to reduce corruption; strengthen the role of practitioners who possess the knowledge and skills necessary for the effective, efficient, and equitable administration of government; and to assure that essential programs and services are delivered to the people.

“It was an honor to present at the iLGM conference. While it is still early in South Africa’s democratic journey, the impact the people of South Africa have made, and their desire to continue to make progress toward a more just and democratic society was evident,” Ott noted. “The commitment to excellence in service delivery, ethics, and political neutrality demonstrated by the local leaders I had the privilege to speak with during the conference was evident. Their leadership certainly inspires hope for what they will accomplish in the years ahead.”

The keynote address given by Honorable Minister Thembi Nkadimeng, minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), echoed Ott’s sentiment for the promise of hope in the years ahead. Honorable Minister Nkadimeng urged local government professionals to pursue practices that encourage equality and inclusivity and encouraged developing effective partnership solution with civil society, businesses, and other sectors to ensure the highest quality of service delivery for all people of South Africa.

Municipal Stability Through Professional Training

A constant theme throughout the conference was the expressed desire for more professional training in the administration of local government. Political infighting, corruption in government, and economic inequities in municipal governance have created a landscape where municipal governments often struggle to serve the basic functions of government–providing electricity, water, and economic opportunity for the people.

To address these issues, attendees agreed that training of local government staff, along with elected officials, is crucial. Specifically, there is a strong desire for formal training in effective local government practices in areas such as asset management, budget preparation and management, ethics and codes of conduct, human resource management, and technology implementation to strengthen local government institutions.

The Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) is one of 21 SETAs in South Africa established to provide some of these specific areas of training. Of particular emphasis by LGSETA was the need for local government officials to understand how to manage service delivery constraints, to embrace technology and digitation in the delivery of government services, and to manage political change.

Global Exchange

There is no doubt that ICMA and its members around the world have a wealth of experience to share regarding the type of training and insights sought by the attendees of the iLGM conference. There is also no doubt that we have much to learn from municipal managers in South Africa as they continue to seek innovative solutions to advancing a more effective and equitable society. While the root cause of many of the challenges may differ, those engaged in public service in local government share in the constant challenge to provide a better quality of life for the people of our communities.

Priscilla Wilson, chief people officer, ICMA, noted, “Attending the iLGM conference was extremely impactful. On several occasions, I found myself exchanging business cards with attendees who wanted more dialogue around recruitment challenges, competency training, or compensation planning. These are issues we all face and which ICMA has been able to provide significant thought leadership.”

One of the core functions of iLGM is the establishment of professional management designations. Sheyi Ipaye, city manager of Willis, Texas, understands first-hand the importance of such training. “This conference creates greater opportunity for city-to-city partnerships and international management exchanges,” Ipaye said. “It also allows for individual capacity building through the designation of iLGM’s Professional Municipal Manager (PMM) certification, which was bestowed upon me.”

Eunice Segatlhe-Lesejane, deputy president of iLGM and manager, Mogale City Local Municipality, South Africa, agreed with these sentiments saying, “iLGM values the long-term relationship with ICMA, and the commitment to shape local government in the country.”

This conference was only the start of what we hope to be a robust knowledge exchange to help local government leaders continue to develop thriving communities around the world. The strength and diversity of the ICMA network is a hallmark of the organization, and all will benefit from the shared expertise.

“After both presenting to and speaking with my fellow iLGM conference attendees, it is evident that even though every region, country, and political system is different, there is a lot we can learn from each other,” Ott stated. “There is no doubt in my mind that ICMA and our members can provide best practice knowledge and insights to meet many of South Africa's local government challenges, while learning a lot from them in the process. I look forward to their continued progress and for ICMA to play a part in helping advance their journey toward a code of ethics-based professional management.”

To learn more about ICMA’s global engagement work visit The Global Future of ICMA.

To learn more about local government in Africa, watch the session Political vs. Administrative Dichotomy: A View from Africa on the ICMA Learning Lab.