Public finance training only works when it matches the legislation your officials apply every day. The first question is simple: does your institution fall under the PFMA or the MFMA?
The PFMA: national and provincial government
The Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 (PFMA) regulates financial management in national and provincial departments, constitutional institutions and the public entities listed in the Act’s schedules. It is supported by the Treasury Regulations and National Treasury instructions.
The MFMA: local government
The Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 (MFMA) applies to municipalities and municipal entities. It has its own regulations, including the Municipal Supply Chain Management Regulations, and its own budgeting and reporting requirements.
What both frameworks have in common
- Accountability for the efficient, effective and economical use of public resources.
- A supply chain management system that is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective.
- Committee-based procurement, typically through bid specification, bid evaluation and bid adjudication committees.
- Budgeting, asset management and financial reporting obligations.
Because the detail differs, officials should be trained on the specific framework and delegations they work under. That is why we offer separate PFMA and MFMA versions of key courses such as bid committee and contract management training.
Matching roles to training
| Role | Suggested training |
|---|---|
| Bid committee members | Bid Committee (PFMA or MFMA); Detection and Combating of Bid Rigging |
| Supply chain practitioners | Supply Chain Management for the Public Service; Demand Management; Contract Management |
| Finance and budget officials | PFMA or MFMA; Budgeting & Budgetary Control; Public Sector Accounting; GRAP compliance |
| Asset managers | Asset Management Planning for the Public Sector; GIAMA (national and provincial departments) |
| Non-finance managers | Finance Management for Non-Financial Managers; Risk Management |
Make it relevant with in-house delivery
For departments and municipalities, in-house training is often the most effective option: content can reference your own policies, delegations and recent audit findings, and teams learn together. We can also run sessions online for officials spread across regions.
Planning training for your department or municipality?