Shirlyn Serobatse, the head of councillor training and capacity building in the Office of the Speaker

RELATED LINKS: Councillors THE City of Johannesburg has 217 councillors, made up of 109 ward councillors who are directly elected and 108 councillors who are elected in terms of a party list system. The term of office is five years. Read more Office of the Speaker THE speaker presides over council meetings, ensuring that they take place every three months and are conducted in accordance with the rules and orders of the city. The speaker is also responsible for public participation programmes such as ward committees and the petitions committee. Read more Jike THE words "innovation" and "knowledge management" are not usually associated with the public service, but for the City of Johannesburg, this has begun to change. Read more Better trained councillors give better service CITY councillors have undergone extensive training to ensure they improve their service and advance the City's Batho Pele vision. Read more Councillors earn diplomas FIVE City councillors have been awarded diplomas in project management, which will help them serve their communities better. Read more Celebrations as councillors graduate CITY councillors have been rewarded with certificates after going through a gruelling eight-month course meant to benefit women in society. Read more

A protocol workshop is held by the Office of the Speaker at the Metropolitan Centre in Braamfontein Ambie Maseko, the councillor for ward 75 in Alexandra

Councillors attend protocol workshop Protocol is more than who takes precedence at official functions. It involves a knowledge of anthems, flags, coats of arms and constitutions and behaviour, among other things, a group of councillors discovers. May 5, 2006 By Anish Abraham IN its efforts to ensure proper conduct from the City's councillors, the Office of the Speaker held a protocol workshop at the Metropolitan Centre in Braamfontein on 4 May. The Johannesburg Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (Jike) unit hosted 26 councillors in the first session of the workshop. "The executive mayor approached the Office of the Speaker in 2003 to develop a protocol training session," said Harvey Phalatse, a knowledge exchange specialist at Jike. "[It] then approached Jike to formulate a programme, which we did together with private consultants." This programme was then approved by the City council and about 140 councillors were trained in proper protocol and etiquette. "We had previously done [the training] in the middle of the term, but we have now decided to do it at the start of the mayor's new term, making it easier for the new councillors," Phalatse explained. The material used in the protocol workshop is considered to be a work in progress and is constantly being revised. The guide is being developed specifically for the City of Johannesburg. "It is very good that they have organised this training session, especially as I am a new councillor," said Ambie Maseko, the councillor for ward 75 in Alexandra. Shirlyn Serobatse, the head of councillor training and capacity building in the Office of the Speaker, was extremely enthusiastic about the workshop and said it was good to have a facilitator of such a high calibre as Helena Burger. Burger, a member of the International Protocol Officers Association, has assisted the government in matters of protocol during such high-profile events as Nelson Mandela's inauguration and the state visit by Queen Elizabeth II. After congratulating the councillors on their appointments, she kicked off the workshop by giving a definition of protocol. Burger described protocol as the knowledge of anthems, flags, coats of arms and constitutions and behaviour, among other things. "Your attitude as councillors will be carefully observed by the public. Make sure of what you say and when you say it," she advised. The workshop focussed on local government systems, corporate identity, executive systems of governance, national symbols and seniority of officials according to rank. "Protocol is the official form of procedure used in affairs of state and diplomatic relations. It ensures that an individual receives the precedence and respect to which that individual's office entitles him or her. It is about honouring the position, not the person," Burger summarised. Protocol and etiquette On a more humorous note, she said protocol was not about using knives and forks correctly, which was more suitably classified as etiquette. Councillors were especially interested in the proper use of Johannesburg's flags and logos, for which there are strict guidelines. The various symbols include the City's flag, a flag used only by the offices of the mayor and the speaker, the coat of arms used by members of council and the stylised Joburg logo that is used as a brand by members of the administration. Councillors also learned about the differences between heads of state and heads of government, and about who should take precedence at official functions. Some councillors expressed doubts about the ranks of certain positions, and Burger reminded them that the protocol guide was a working document. It was part of the course to get comments and suggestions that could be used to improve the guide. These comments and suggestions are forwarded to the executive mayor and his committee, which then takes decisions on whether to make changes or not. "I think the session was very good," said Michael Sun, a proportional representation councillor. "Many of use have never been exposed to such an environment and I think [the training programme] should be extended to all officials of the city. It teaches us how to behave at formal functions." Phalatse said there would be many more protocol workshops, until all 217 councillors had attended. Once all councillors had completed the course, they would each receive certificates in recognisance. "There will be another three sessions until the end of June, and other sessions will commence once we have started with the new financial year," he concluded. 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