Strengthening Municipal Leadership Through Mentoring and Coaching
The Department of Local Government (DLG), in partnership with the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and the University of Stellenbosch’s School of Public Leadership (SPL), rolled out a Mentoring and Coaching Training Programme for Municipal Senior Managers during the 2025/26 financial year.
The programme took place on 01–02 October 2026 and will bring together nominated municipal officials from the Garden Route and Central Karoo regions for an intensive two-day learning and development programme.
The initiative was aimed at strengthening the leadership and management capabilities of municipal senior managers by equipping them with practical skills to effectively coach and mentor officials who report to them.
The Mentoring and Coaching Programme was designed to be highly interactive, combining theoretical learning with practical activities. Participants will be introduced to a range of mentoring and coaching tools, techniques and approaches that can be applied within their respective municipal workplaces.
Through practical sessions, discussions and experiential learning, participants had an opportunity to develop their ability to support the professional growth and performance of their teams.
The programme was aimed to foster a workplace culture in which managers actively develop their staff, encourage continuous learning and provide constructive guidance and support.
By strengthening the mentoring and coaching capabilities of senior managers, municipalities can create stronger internal leadership pipelines and contribute to improved organisational capacity.
The programme is aligned with the constitutional responsibility of government to support municipalities in strengthening their institutional capacity.
The Mentoring and Coaching Programme contributes to this mandate by investing directly in the people who lead and manage municipal institutions. Developing the capabilities of senior managers can help municipalities build an environment that supports effective leadership, knowledge transfer, staff development and organisational learning.
The collaboration between DLG, HSF and SPL reflects a shared commitment to strengthening local government through targeted leadership development and practical skills transfer.
It is envisaged that Participants who completed the programme left with enhanced knowledge and practical tools to become more effective coaches and mentors within their municipalities.
The initiative represents an investment not only in individual managers, but also in the broader institutional capacity of municipalities across the Garden Route and Central Karoo.
Through initiatives such as these, the Department continues to support municipalities in developing capable leaders and creating stronger, more sustainable local government institutions.
Local Government Communications