Political Analyst Ebrahim Harvey says ward councillors should atleast have matric education to qualify

Political analyst Ebrahim Harvey says requiring ANC councillor candidates to have matric is a step forward but warns education alone won't fix the problems facing municipalities.

The issue of education and qualifications among political figures is again in the spotlight after ANC electoral committee chair Kgalema Motlanthe rejected formal waiver applications that would have allowed councillor candidates without matric to contest the November local government elections.

Political analyst and author Ebrahim Harvey believes they should, and called the ANC's move to require candidates to have at least a Grade 12 qualification long overdue.

"It's quite shocking that since 1994 the ANC didn't have a requirement. So, it's a massive progress advance. It's the lowest level of formal education to at least have a matric."

Harvey suggested the poor performance of the country's municipalities was in part down to the level of education of councillors being so low.

"That’s the bottom level of the rung of formal education, to have a matric certificate.”

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