ANC MP Bones Modise: Councillors Must Have NQF Level 6, Mayors Level 8 to Lead Municipalities
ANC MP Bones Modise has called for stricter qualifications in local government, stating that councillors must have NQF Level 6, while mayors and other top leaders need Level 8 to lead municipalities responsibly. This push comes amid growing concerns over poor governance and financial mismanagement in South Africa’s municipalities, highlighted by recent oversight visits that exposed deep-rooted problems in areas like the Free State.
In a recent session of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) focused on the small business development budget, ANC MP Bones Modise urged for major changes to professionalise municipalities. He stressed that South Africa can no longer rely on unqualified leaders to handle complex public duties, drawing parallels to professions like medicine, law, teaching, and engineering, where qualifications are mandatory.
Modise said: “Chairperson, we call on honorable me, honorable chief nongan and honorable fi to produce a paper that advocate for the legislative changes in who must be a counselor in this country. Part of the requirements must be that one to be a counselor, you’ll need to possess NQF level six. To be a member of the mayoral committee, you’ll need to possess NQF level 7. And to be a speaker, executive mayor or chief whip, you’ll need to possess NQF level 8. We can no longer allow a person with to be responsible for municipal finances as MMC’s or finance when the CFO is a university graduate. We really need to save our municipalities from total collapse so that SMMES can strive.
We cannot afford to run municipalities through common sense. We need to have we don’t have the luxury anymore. Just like the medical doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, an engineer needs qualification to practice. Let’s also professionalize local government by ensuring that those who want to be in public service have proper qualifications. We really need to advocate for graduates to occupy positions of responsibility so that municipal bylaws are att to give SMME a fighting chance and get rid of dumb cops who don’t want to go to school and use political responsibilities for self-enrichment.”
His words reflect a broader frustration with the current state of local government, where many leaders lack the skills needed to manage budgets, enforce bylaws, and support small businesses. Modise, who was deployed to the NCOP in June 2024 to represent Gauteng’s interests, brings experience from his time in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. There, he dealt with conflicts between departments, contractors, and communities. He has also committed to furthering his own education, planning to graduate within the next five years to set an example. This personal drive underscores his belief that education is key to effective public service.
By requiring NQF Level 6 for councillors – equivalent to a diploma or advanced certificate – and Level 8 for mayors, speakers, and chief whips – similar to an honours degree or postgraduate diploma – Modise aims to ensure that leaders have the knowledge to handle financial planning, service delivery, and economic growth. This could help small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) thrive, as well-run municipalities would create better environments for business through fair bylaws and efficient support systems.
Free State Oversight Visit Exposes Deep-Rooted Issues
Modise’s proposal gains urgency from recent events in the Free State, where a joint oversight visit by parliamentary committees revealed shocking levels of dysfunction. The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), chaired by former Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, visited the province from 24 to 25 July 2025. They engaged with all 23 municipalities, including the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, at the Sun Windmill Casino in Bloemfontein.
The visit, part of a new pilot oversight model, brought together Cogta, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), and the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General. In partnership with the Free State Provincial Legislature, the team lambasted the province as the worst performer in financial management and accountability. Mayors and officials from various municipalities had to account for their financial affairs, but many failed to show improvement despite repeated warnings.
Key findings included 16 municipalities with unfunded budgets, over R4.2 billion in unauthorised expenditure, repeated disclaimer audit opinions, and widespread failure to submit financial statements on time. These issues stem from weak procurement controls, collapsed financial systems, poor resource management, and deteriorating service delivery. Visible problems like potholes, uncollected waste, polluted rivers, streets flowing with sewerage, irregular water and electricity supply, and neglected wastewater treatment plants have left communities suffering.
Dr Mkhize did not hold back, revealing that municipalities often ignore Auditor-General recommendations. “Various targeted municipalities not only need to take accountability but need to be monitored, and a change should be seen in terms of the auditing outcomes,” he said. Scopa Free State chairperson Oupa Khoabane echoed this, stressing that “municipalities alongside the provincial government should be reminded that accountability is paramount and that municipal resources are managed effectively and appropriately.”
As the province’s only metropolitan area, Mangaung was urged to lead by example. However, its city manager, Sello More, admitted shortcomings, including issues with overtime controls that burden the budget. “In terms of inadequate overtime controls, there have been consequences, but we noticed that we cannot place a lot of resources on overtime issues as it is highly costly for the city. We are going to enforce compliance and also ensure that there will be a minimum overtime under the shift system, which will not go beyond 40 hours,” More said. He assured the committee that responses to their questions would come within three months.
Broader Impacts of Municipal Failures
These revelations align with the Auditor-General’s latest reports, which paint a devastating picture of institutional collapse across Free State municipalities. Beyond the provided figures, audits show that 18% of municipalities had findings on awards to family members, partners, or associates, pointing to nepotism and conflicts of interest. Another 35% faced limitations in supply chain management audits, making it hard to track spending and prevent irregularities.
In Mangaung specifically, audits highlight poor financial management, weak internal controls, and governance failures that lead to wasteful expenditure and service breakdowns. Nationally, the Auditor-General notes that the state of local government remains dire, with mayors and councils often contributing to these problems through poor decision-making. This mismanagement harms residents directly, as funds meant for roads, water, sanitation, and electricity are squandered, leading to protests and declining quality of life.
Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae expressed deep concern during the visit. “The truth is; we are deeply concerned about the state of our municipalities Chairperson; because of inadequate capacity, poor financial management, weak governing systems and institutional instabilities. Many of our municipalities are now in financial and administrative distress, provision of water and sanitation remains a challenge; our streets are littered with garbage, maintenance of water waste treatment plants remains a concern to us as provincial government. Municipal yellow fleets can easily be found in scrap yards, some roads are in poor conditions and this is known, the debts owed to Eskom and Vaal Central as well are increasing. People are expecting much from us as government and this we can never afford and we are servants of the people. Work to turnaround municipalities has started, work to get the basics right, breathe new life into our municipalities and improve service delivery,” she said.
The oversight exposed systemic corruption, persistent administrative neglect, and a failure of accountability that affects everyday people. Residents face unreliable services, while small businesses struggle without stable infrastructure, echoing Modise’s point about supporting SMMEs.
A New Era of Accountability and Reform
The joint initiative marks a shift from past fragmented efforts. Dr Mkhize called it a “whole-of-government intervention” to end the culture of impunity. “We have come here to draw a line in the sand. From this point on, all of us – across local, provincial and national government – are working together to restore proper governance and ensure the public receives the services it deserves. If there was some money that was spent the wrong way, those responsible must face disciplinary action. Internally, they must be taken on, be subjected to disciplinary processes, and if it’s criminal, there must be a proper investigation. The culture of impunity must stop,” he said.
Municipalities must now report quarterly on implementing Auditor-General recommendations, with monitoring by provincial government and submission to Parliament. Failure could lead to disciplinary actions, removals, or criminal charges. A follow-up meeting is planned in six months, with reports tabled in Parliament for transparency.
“No one will be able to hide behind the separation of powers between different spheres of government. We must understand that we are one government and have a collective responsibility to govern ethically and manage with discipline our public resources so that services are delivered as expected,” Mkhize added.
He noted a change in tone among officials, who now see accountability as essential. “What we have seen is a change in tone. Many municipalities now understand that accountability is not optional. This is no longer a routine oversight visit – it is a whole-of-government intervention where we want to see demonstrable progress.”
The crises in Free State municipalities are endemic, but with coordinated efforts from Parliament, provincial legislatures, and executives, turnaround is possible. “By the time the Auditor-General returns, they must see improvement. For us, improvement is not just about the audit but about improving and rebuilding systems to remove the problems of maladministration, malfeasance, irregularities, corruption, and the culture of impunity, as well as restore ethical leadership and deliver quality services to our people,” Mkhize said.
This oversight signals a new era where public service matches responsibility, potentially paving the way for reforms like Modise’s qualification requirements. If adopted, such changes could prevent future collapses and ensure municipalities serve people effectively, boosting local economies and community well-being.
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