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Cost Recovery and User Charge Setting for Public Entities

Public entities and state institutions are increasingly expected to recover the cost of the services they provide through fees, levies and user charges. This course helps public sector finance staff calculate the true cost of a service and set charges that are fair, defensible and legally sound. It addresses the tension between financial sustainability and affordability that defines public service pricing across Africa.

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Register for this course

What you will be able to do

  • Determine the full cost of delivering a public service.
  • Distinguish full cost recovery from partial and subsidised models.
  • Set user charges, fees and levies that are fair and defensible.
  • Assess affordability and equity in charge setting.
  • Navigate the legal and approval requirements for tariffs.
  • Review and adjust charges as costs and conditions change.

Course outline

  1. 01Principles of Cost Recovery in the Public Sector
  2. 02Calculating the Full Cost of a Service
  3. 03Full, Partial and Subsidised Recovery Models
  4. 04Setting Fair and Defensible Charges
  5. 05Affordability and Equity Considerations
  6. 06Legal and Approval Requirements for Tariffs
  7. 07Communicating Charges to the Public
  8. 08Reviewing and Adjusting User Charges

Who should attend

Finance officers, tariff and pricing staff, planners and managers in public entities, agencies, utilities and state institutions.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendarRegister
3 to 4 Nov 2026Johannesburg2R10,000Register
4 to 5 Nov 2026Cape Town2R10,000Register
5 to 6 Nov 2026Durban2R10,000Register
9 to 10 Nov 2026Pretoria2R10,000Register
10 to 11 Nov 2026Windhoek2US$1,100Register
11 to 12 Nov 2026Gaborone2US$1,100Register
12 to 13 Nov 2026Maseru2US$1,100Register
16 to 17 Nov 2026Mbabane2US$1,100Register
17 to 18 Nov 2026Lusaka2US$1,100Register
18 to 19 Nov 2026Harare2US$1,100Register
19 to 20 Nov 2026Lilongwe2US$1,100Register
23 to 24 Nov 2026Blantyre2US$1,100Register
24 to 25 Nov 2026Mozambique2US$1,100Register
25 to 26 Nov 2026Nairobi2US$1,100Register
26 to 27 Nov 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100Register
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Kigali2US$1,100Register
1 to 2 Dec 2026Kampala2US$1,100Register
2 to 3 Dec 2026Accra2US$1,100Register
3 to 4 Dec 2026Lagos2US$1,100Register
7 to 8 Dec 2026Cairo2US$1,100Register
8 to 9 Dec 2026Mauritius2US$1,100Register
9 to 10 Dec 2026Dubai2US$1,100Register
10 to 11 Dec 2026Online2US$900Register

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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