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Local Government Ombuds and Community Complaints Resolution

This course develops the skills to establish complaint handling and ombuds style functions that resolve community grievances fairly and quickly. Participants learn to receive and investigate complaints, mediate disputes and use complaint patterns to improve services. The programme responds to the community protests and mistrust that arise across African municipalities when grievances go unresolved.

What you will be able to do

  • Explain the value of an accessible complaints and ombuds function in local government.
  • Set up channels for communities to lodge complaints and grievances.
  • Investigate complaints impartially and gather relevant evidence.
  • Mediate disputes between residents and the municipality.
  • Recommend fair remedies and track their implementation.
  • Use complaint trends to drive service and policy improvements.

Course outline

  1. 01The Case for Community Complaints Resolution
  2. 02Setting Up Complaint Channels
  3. 03Receiving and Recording Complaints
  4. 04Impartial Investigation
  5. 05Mediation and Dispute Resolution
  6. 06Remedies and Follow Up
  7. 07Learning from Complaint Trends

Who should attend

This course suits complaints officers, community liaison staff, customer service managers and officials responsible for resolving community grievances.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
17 to 18 Aug 2026Lusaka2US$1,100
24 to 25 Aug 2026Kigali2US$1,100
31 Aug to 1 Sep 2026Nairobi2US$1,100
7 to 8 Sep 2026Durban2R10,000
14 to 15 Sep 2026Johannesburg2R10,000
28 to 29 Sep 2026Mauritius2US$1,100
5 to 6 Oct 2026Dubai2US$1,100
12 to 13 Oct 2026Lagos2US$1,100
19 to 20 Oct 2026Harare2US$1,100
26 to 27 Oct 2026Kampala2US$1,100
2 to 3 Nov 2026Dar es Salaam2US$1,100
9 to 10 Nov 2026Pretoria2R10,000
16 to 17 Nov 2026Cape Town2R10,000
30 Nov to 1 Dec 2026Online2US$900
7 to 8 Dec 2026Mozambique2US$1,100
14 to 15 Dec 2026Cairo2US$1,100
21 to 22 Dec 2026Accra2US$1,100

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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