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Free Basic Services and Indigent Household Support Management

This course helps municipalities design and administer free basic services and indigent support so that poor households receive their entitlements without collapsing the revenue base. Participants learn to build and maintain an accurate indigent register, target subsidies fairly, and fund the policy through the equitable share and tariff structures. The programme confronts the tension in African municipalities between social protection obligations and financial sustainability.

What you will be able to do

  • Explain the policy basis for free basic services and indigent support.
  • Design qualification criteria and an accurate, verifiable indigent register.
  • Target free basic water, electricity, sanitation and refuse subsidies fairly.
  • Fund the indigent policy through the equitable share and tariff design.
  • Prevent fraud, duplication and register decay through periodic verification.
  • Report on coverage, cost and the impact of the indigent policy.

Course outline

  1. 01Free Basic Services Policy and Entitlements
  2. 02Indigent Qualification Criteria
  3. 03Building and Maintaining the Indigent Register
  4. 04Targeting and Delivering Subsidised Services
  5. 05Funding Through Equitable Share and Tariffs
  6. 06Fraud Prevention and Register Verification
  7. 07Coverage, Cost and Impact Reporting

Who should attend

Municipal revenue and finance officials, social services and community development staff, and managers responsible for indigent and free basic services policy.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 18 Aug 2026Johannesburg2R10,000
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026Mauritius2US$1,100
7 to 8 Sep 2026Dubai2US$1,100
14 to 15 Sep 2026Lagos2US$1,100
21 to 22 Sep 2026Harare2US$1,100
28 to 29 Sep 2026Kampala2US$1,100
5 to 6 Oct 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100
12 to 13 Oct 2026Pretoria2R10,000
19 to 20 Oct 2026Cape Town2R10,000
2 to 3 Nov 2026Online2US$900
9 to 10 Nov 2026Mozambique2US$1,100
16 to 17 Nov 2026Cairo2US$1,100
23 to 24 Nov 2026Accra2US$1,100
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Lusaka2US$1,100
7 to 8 Dec 2026Kigali2US$1,100
14 to 15 Dec 2026Nairobi2US$1,100
21 to 22 Dec 2026Durban2R10,000

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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