University of Limpopo and the National School of Government (NSG) partner to train government leaders, ensuring the effective utilisation of public resources
By Malatji Monyelegwete & Caroline Khoza | malatji.monyelegwete@ul.ac.za
Over the next three years, junior and middle managers in South Africa’s provincial, national, and local government structures in the Limpopo, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces will be equipped to efficiently and confidently tackle their daily managerial responsibilities
This follows a partnership between the University of Limpopo (UL) and the National School of Government (NSG). Through the initiative, two programmes namely, the Emerging Management Development Programme (EMDP) and the Advanced Management Development Programme (AMDP) will be piloted to assess their effectiveness in promoting managerial efficiency within government sector. The aim of the programmes is to empower officials with essential skills to drive effective governance.
According to Professor Samuel Koma, Director of the School of Economics at UL, the signed Service Level Agreement between NSG and UL will facilitate the smooth delivery of the EMDP and AMDP. “This initiative aims to strengthen state capacity and professionalise the public sector through training, education, and development. Our focus is on upskilling and supporting the career growth of public servants,” he explained, noting that the programme is tailored to meet the development needs of officials in the affected provinces.
This 2024 – 2027 project will be guided by the Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership and School of Economics and Management in the Faculty of Management and Law on behalf of UL and is touted to become a success. UL has previously undertaken similar initiatives, providing crucial training for government officials to ensure the effective use of government funds and quality service delivery.
Prof Sipho Mokoena, Director of TGSL, highlighted that UL has been appointed as the lead training provider for Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng, responsible for equipping officials with critical leadership and management skills.
“This partnership places UL at the forefront of a national initiative to elevate government management skills, supporting capable leaders who can enhance public service delivery,” Prof Mokoena stated, adding that both the TGSL and the Faculty of Management and Law will provide relevant academics and experts to ensure a high standard across the programmes.
Lucas Raphela, NSG’s Director for Functional Competencies, expressed his confidence in UL’s facilitators, stating, “We’ll soon release a list of qualified facilitators authorised to lead EMDP and AMDP sessions on the behalf of the University. With the agreement signed, training can kick off as soon as we receive engagement from the three designated provinces.”
To ensure that capable facilitators are selected to run the programmes, the recent Training of Trainers session held by the University was a rigorous test, with facilitators delivering mock presentations to showcase their public sector knowledge and teaching skills. NSG representatives evaluated each facilitator’s understanding of government operations, qualifications, and experience.
The session covered essential topics, including People and Performance Management, Policy and Public Accountability, Service Delivery Enhancement, and Results through Leadership.