South African Officials Embark on Learning Exchange in China to Boost Local Governance
A group of South African public officials are currently in China as part of a learning exchange programme organised by the National School of Government (NSG), aimed at improving local governance and service delivery back home.
The initiative, hosted by Beijing Jiaotong University and supported by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, is focused on city governance and how municipalities can better respond to growing public expectations and increasingly complex developmental challenges.
In a statement, the NSG said the programme is designed to deepen understanding of how China has advanced in key areas such as service delivery innovation, smart city construction, participatory governance, and poverty alleviation.
“The programme explores the Chinese advancement in local government innovation in service delivery, modernisation of governance, construction of smart cities, participatory governance, poverty alleviation and development,” the NSG said.
China’s local government reforms and performance have played a central role in its socio-economic transformation, including the eradication of absolute poverty in 2020 — a full decade ahead of the global 2030 target set by the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“This is the same deadline that South Africa has set in the National Development Plan to eliminate poverty and inequality by the year 2030,” the NSG added.
South Africa’s 7th Administration has placed a strong emphasis on building a developmental and capable state. Its priorities include inclusive economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction and lowering the high cost of living. In this context, municipalities are seen as critical to realising these goals through effective local governance.
NSG Principal, Professor Busani Ngcaweni, highlighted the importance of international collaboration and learning from other countries’ developmental trajectories.
“Municipalities therefore have a critical role in the achievement of this commitment. The exchange programme on city governance is part of the NSG’s international exchanges that are aimed at facilitating public servants’ access to specialist knowledge and skills needed to enhance public sector performance,” said Ngcaweni.
He further emphasised the value of global partnerships. “Partnerships are a key focus for the NSG, as they enable us to expand the depth of training delivery, diversity, and allow access to expertise that we do not have,” he said.
The three-week programme, which runs from 7 to 27 July, forms part of a broader strategy to equip South African public officials with global insights and practical solutions to improve governance and service delivery at the local level.
With urban areas facing mounting pressure to address unemployment, infrastructure backlogs and poverty, the NSG believes that such international exchanges will not only strengthen the capabilities of South Africa’s municipalities but also help align them with global best practices.
