The certificate ceremony took place at the University’s Hatfield Campus today (Friday 06 March). The duration of the training programme was one year and it was sponsored by Old Mutual.

The Executive Public Management Development Programme was customised for the needs of the SAPS by the University of Pretoria’s School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA).

Professor Jerry O. Kuye, Director and Chair of the School of Public Management and Administration noted that the programme was commissioned to allow senior members of the South African Police Service to be equipped with the vital Executive and Leadership skills in the governance and management of police services with the intention to provide enhanced capacities and attain a long and sustained level of executive leadership and administrative dynamics.

“The School of Public Management and Administration at the University of Pretoria has been in the forefront of Public Sector Education in South Africa and it is the leading mind in the procurement and training of public servants since 1994,” he added.

According to Magda Stander – SAPS Deputy National Commissioner, the top management of the South African Police Service has taken a conscious decision to ensure the development of the senior management core of the organisation. This Executive Public Management Development Programme, which has been designed to be SAPS-specific, is geared towards enhancing the skills and competencies of the senior managers of the SAPS to enable them to manage the organisation professionally and combat crime effectively and efficiently.

“We value this partnership with the University of Pretoria in developing this qualification and the sponsors - Old Mutual - in expressing interest and support for the development and the enhancement of the skills for the senior management of the police,” she said.

For Old Mutual, sponsoring the Executive Public Management Development Programme is a continuation of a long-standing relationship with the SAPS that dates back to 1974. This is a relationship which was initially characterised by providing solutions to thousands of members within the police service. Financial solutions which allow the police to dedicate their lives to the protection of our families, businesses and communities, firm in the knowledge that their savings are invested securely for themselves and their dependants.

“When the request came from the SAPS for the development of a specialised programme that will improve the capabilities of our police to pre-empt, investigate, and bring crime within our borders under control, Old Mutual was more than willing to partner with the University of Pretoria in this regard. The leadership and managers within the SAPS have entered this programme with the aim of developing a world-class security service that will work for South Africans. A service that will improve their ability to respond to and stamp out crime in South Africa,” said Mr Marshall Rapiya – Managing Director of Old Mutual Retail

Professor David Fourie - Programme Manager - pointed out that the Executive Public Management Development Programme was customised to meet the specific needs of the client. The Programme exposed the participants to new ways of thinking and working towards unlocking their creativity in the process of bringing about changes in their organisation, teams and themselves.

The Executive Public Management Development Programme covered the core competencies as required from an Executive Manager in a public sector organisation. The topics in the programme dealt with Strategic Capability and Leadership, Programme and Project Management, Public Sector Financial Management, Change Management and Governance, Knowledge Management, Service Delivery Innovation, Problem Solving and Analysis, People Management and Empowerment, Client Orientation and Customer Focus and lastly Communication.

Continuous assessments were conducted throughout the Programme and the successful completion of an integrated post-programme assessment awarded participants a credit bearing certificate from the University of Pretoria.

As a result of the success of the Programme, 12 participants enrolled for a post graduate degree (Masters in Public Administration) at the University of Pretoria‘s School of Public Management and Administration.

Deputy National Commissioner Stander thanked the University of Pretoria and Old Mutual for offering the Executive Public Management Development Programme.

"The SAPS management is grateful to the University of the Pretoria and to Old Mutual to offer the qualification of this magnitude to our senior managers to enable them to improve service delivery, manage the resources optimally and properly and to monitor performance", she said.

Mr Rapiya – MD of Old Mutual Retail commended the executive management within the police services for their visionary leadership on this initiative.

“Our involvement should be seen as an investment in safer communities and our collective peace of mind. Congratulations to all the men and women who graduated from the accelerated programme and all the best for those who are moving onto the specialised Masters of Public Administration programme,” he said.

The Executive Public Management Development Programme was coordinated through Continuing Education at University of Pretoria Trust (CE at UP Trust), an established and well-known supplier of continuing education programmes across a diverse spectrum of study fields.

"Continuing Education at University of Pretoria aims to be the partner of choice to the public and private sector to enhance and empower knowledge into all industries and government. CE at UP focuses on tailor-made training programmes where we apply a combination of disciplines in practical applications. The needs of clients’ employees and the knowledge gained through training will stimulate human energy that will, in turn, translate to increased productivity and ultimately enhanced profitability," said Deon Herbst – CEO of CE at UP.

Click here to view the full speech by Deputy National Commissioner Magda Stander.