City of Johannesburg officials are benefiting from fully funded international training opportunities made possible through partnerships with foreign embassies. Coordinated by the City’s Resource Mobilisation Unit, these programmes enhance skills, promote global knowledge exchange and support Johannesburg’s development agenda — at no cost to the City.
The initiative is driven by the Economic Development Unit under Executive Director Mathopane Masha and Acting Director Benjamin Seitlhamo, supported by Deputy Director: Resource Mobilisation Tomas Sindane, Assistant Director Southinah Matlala, and Manager Anna Molaba.
“These courses empower employees with practical skills they can implement in their daily work,” says Matlala.
Training primarily targets government officials and researchers, with limited participation from private sector professionals in technical fields. Embassies are responsible for final selections, reflecting the strong international demand for these programmes.
Recent seminars have focused on:
- Sustainable urban development
- Public finance and budget management
- Sports event management
Officials returned with insights on improving transport efficiency, protecting the environment, strengthening crime prevention, using digital tools to enhance public finance systems, and promoting accountable leadership. The role of sports infrastructure in fostering social cohesion was also highlighted.
To ensure that learning translates into impact, participants are required to submit post-training reports outlining key lessons and how these can be applied within their departments.
By investing in global learning, the City continues to strengthen institutional capacity, improve service delivery and advance sustainable urban growth for residents.
Written by Tinyiko Barbara Ngobeni