Citizen Leader Lab, a Public Benefit Organisation committed to leadership development in the public and private sectors, has successfully completed the pilot phase of its new Leaders for Municipality programme.

With South Africa’s municipalities facing mounting challenges in governance, service delivery and financial stability, this timely programme equips municipal leaders with the skills, knowledge and support needed to drive sustainable development and improve communities across South Africa.

South Africa’s municipalities have made significant progress in reducing poverty levels since 1994. They, however, continue to endure fiscal constraints, aging infrastructure and resource limitations, making it difficult to meet community needs. The Leaders for Municipality programme reflects Citizen Leader Lab’s commitment to tackling these pressing public sector challenges as outlined by the National Development Plan.

Launched in February 2024 in the City of Cape Town, the pilot programme brought together 10 municipal leaders and 10 business leaders in co-learning, co-action partnerships. Over the past year, participants engaged in workshop-based training to develop foundational leadership skills, received professional coaching and have benefitted from in-field support to apply their learnings to real-world challenges.

The Leaders for Municipality programme is modelled on Citizen Leader Lab’s highly successful Leaders for Education programme, which pairs school principals and business leaders on a collaborative leadership journey.

Speaking on the positive outcomes of the pilot, Komala Pillay, CEO of Citizen Leader Lab, said:

The Leaders for Municipality pilot was an exciting step in expanding Citizen Leader Lab’s leadership development model beyond education and into the municipal space.

Our core belief at Citizen Leader Lab is that leadership is the key to transformation. Our country will not move forward unless we, as leaders, step up, take risks and work together in new ways.

The leaders in this room have done exactly that. They made a decision to invest in their own leadership growth and to build partnerships that can create lasting change. This pilot has demonstrated that when leaders from different sectors come together with a shared commitment to learning and action, the impact is tangible.

Our goal now is to scale this programme, bringing it to municipalities that face even greater challenges. I am optimistic about what’s next.”

The pilot saw participating municipal leaders begin to build trust within their teams, facilitate collaboration and implement innovative approaches to challenges. These early wins demonstrate the programme’s potential to shift the trajectory of South Africa’s municipalities by strengthening their ability to serve citizens effectively.

As one municipal leader noted: ‘’Each element of the programme catalyses important learning and prioritises working together to take leaders from knowledge through insight into practical application.

One of the main reasons for this is that partnerships between business and municipal leaders ensure that each leader gets to really focus on their own growth, work challenges and practical real-world work projects.’’

Key partners in this pilot phase included long-standing Citizen Leader Lab supporter, Sphere Holdings and avid sponsor, the Old Mutual Foundation.

Reflecting on their involvement, Itumeleng Kgaboesele, Founder and CEO of Sphere Holdings, said: “Having witnessed the transformative impact of Leaders for Education, it was clear that a similar approach was needed for municipal leaders. This programme has the potential to reshape municipalities into thriving, responsive institutions that serve their citizens effectively. As the business sector, we must champion stability, and this is one way to contribute to that future.”

Expressing a similar sentiment, Celiwe Ross, Public Affairs Director at Old Mutual, said: ‘’There is an urgent need to address our service delivery challenges in South Africa. This will not only put us in a better position to attract more investment into the country, but it will also ensure that every South African, has access to basic service and infrastructure needs. To this end, it is truly a pleasure for Old Mutual to have come onboard as a sponsor. This initiative is aligned with our business objectives.”

The success of this pilot marks the beginning of a wider rollout, with plans to extend the programme to more municipalities in 2025.

About Citizen Leader Lab

Founded in 2010, Citizen Leader Lab is dedicated to creating resilient leaders in the public and private sectors. Through leadership development programmes and workshops, we empower individuals to be effective change agents in their communities. With 15 years of experience, we continue to grow our presence in education and extend our influence into critical public sectors, promoting cross-sector collaboration, active citizenship and social cohesion.