Public Sector Leaders

Public Sector Leaders Public Sector Leader speaks to an audience with the highest level of authority government decision-ma

Minister Blade Nzimande Launches 41 New Research Chairs 🔍📚The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Prof Blade ...
05/06/2026

Minister Blade Nzimande Launches 41 New Research Chairs 🔍📚

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Prof Blade Nzimande was speaking in his keynote address at a prestigious event held at the National Research Foundation (NRF) on 16 April, where he announced 41 new Research Chairs. The chairs fall under the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI).

Established in 2006 by the Department of Science,Technology and Innovation SA (DSTI) and implemented by the NRF, SARChI aims to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation at South African public universities with a long-term investment of up to 15 years. Highlighting the strategic significance of this milestone, Minister Nzimande indicated that these Research Chairs have been deliberately awarded to Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs), Universities of Technology (UoTs), and new universities, including the Sol Plaatje University in the Northern Cape province, which was awarded a Research Chair for the first time in its history.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04kg89C0

Leading Digital Transformation In The Public Sector: Why Technology Strategy Starts at The Top✍️ By Prof. Linda Meyer, M...
04/06/2026

Leading Digital Transformation In The Public Sector: Why Technology Strategy Starts at The Top
✍️ By Prof. Linda Meyer, MD at Rosebank International South Africa

When a government digital project fails, the post-mortem rarely points to the software. It points to the people — or more precisely, to the absence of decisive, visionary leadership at the helm. Across the public sector, from municipal councils to national agencies, a pattern has emerged: organisations that successfully harness technology to better serve citizens aren't necessarily those with the largest budgets or the most sophisticated tools. They are the ones led by individuals who understand that digital transformation is, at its core, a human endeavour.

It has become fashionable to frame digital transformation as a technology problem. Procurement cycles are scrutinised, platforms are debated, and vendors are evaluated with painstaking rigour. Yet the uncomfortable truth is that most public sector digital initiatives don't stall because of the wrong software, they stall because of the wrong leadership posture.

📌Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04k4G4s0

The Fuel Levy: Understanding What South Africans Pay at The Pump ⛽🇿🇦Fuel prices affect nearly every aspect of the South ...
03/06/2026

The Fuel Levy: Understanding What South Africans Pay at The Pump ⛽🇿🇦

Fuel prices affect nearly every aspect of the South African economy. From household transport costs and food prices to logistics, manufacturing and inflation, fluctuations at the petrol pump are felt across the country. While global oil prices and the rand-dollar exchange rate often dominate public discussion, taxes and levies also make up a significant share of the final fuel price motorists pay. Among these, the fuel levy remains one of the most important and often misunderstood components.

In recent months, the fuel levy has attracted renewed attention following the government’s decision to extend temporary fuel levy relief measures in response to surging global oil prices linked to instability in the Middle East. The intervention aims to cushion households and businesses from sharp increases in fuel costs while limiting broader inflationary pressure on the economy.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition of Public Sector Leaders here: https://hubs.la/Q04jW_yR0

Agenda 2063: Africa’s Blueprint for a Prosperous and Integrated Future 🌍More than a decade after its adoption by the Afr...
02/06/2026

Agenda 2063: Africa’s Blueprint for a Prosperous and Integrated Future 🌍

More than a decade after its adoption by the African Union (AU), Agenda 2063 remains one of the most ambitious long-term development frameworks ever undertaken on the African continent. Often described as “The Africa We Want”, the agenda represents a 50-year strategic vision designed to guide Africa’s economic growth, social development, political integration and global influence from 2013 to 2063.

Adopted during celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, the predecessor to the African Union – Agenda 2063 was developed as a response to the continent’s changing priorities. After decades focused primarily on liberation struggles and political independence, African leaders recognised the need for a long-term development strategy centred on inclusive growth, industrialisation, regional integration, governance, peace and human development.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04jL4s80

Cultivating A New Generation of African Intellectual & Public Leadership 🇿🇦🌍Following the conclusion of Africa Month, it...
01/06/2026

Cultivating A New Generation of African Intellectual & Public Leadership 🇿🇦🌍

Following the conclusion of Africa Month, it is fitting that our Cover Icon is Professor Edith Dinong Phaswana, Acting Executive Dean of the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs, UNISA. “Ultimately, this is about producing graduates who can think, lead, and solve problems from an African perspective and beyond,” -Professor Edith Dinong Phaswana. We continue with the African theme in the article on the continent’s primary development plan, Agenda 2063, which remains one of the most ambitious long-term development frameworks ever undertaken on the African continent. Often described as “The Africa We Want”, the plan represents a 50-year strategic vision designed to guide economic growth, social development, political integration and global influence from 2013 to 2063.

The latest Trailblazer is Dr Ngobani Johnstone Makhubu, the new SARS Commissioner, filling in the big shoes left behind by Edward Kieswetter and our Women in Leadership is Hon. Nomakhosazana M**h, who, since taking office as South Africa’s Minister of Employment and Labour in 2024, has positioned worker protection, fair labour practices and employment creation at the centre of her leadership agenda. Roelf Meyer - who has had a fascinating career, from being at the heart of the negotiations that brought us to democracy, to using his skills and the lessons he learned from the transition to assist other countries, has begun his next big challenge as he returns to public office as Ambassador to America, currently a portfolio like no other.

Two good news stories reflecting abundance in our country stretch from conservation to education. Western Cape has added 25 nature reserves to our beautiful natural heritage and Minister Blade Nzimande launched 41 new Research Chairs, enhancing the research capacity of historically disadvantaged institutions. The Chairs are distributed across 16 universities and span a wide range of disciplinary areas aligned with national priorities. The not so good news is that it’s nearly time to queue for hours at the petrol pumps again before the next increase; in an effort to try and sweeten the pill, we delve into a fuel levy explainer with our regular Financial Fitness feature.

Read the latest edition of Public Sector Leaders here: https://hubs.la/Q04jxDf40

ADvTECH University: A New Era for Private Higher Education in South Africa 🎓South Africa’s higher education landscape is...
22/05/2026

ADvTECH University: A New Era for Private Higher Education in South Africa 🎓

South Africa’s higher education landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with the rise of private institutions playing an increasingly prominent role in expanding access, innovation and quality. At the centre of this shift is ADvTECH Group, which is positioning itself to achieve full university status through its evolving tertiary platform.

Through its consolidation of leading tertiary brands and the rollout of large-scale campuses like Emeris, ADvTECH is laying the groundwork for what is widely being referred to as an “ADvTECH University” - a future-facing institution designed to meet the demands of a modern, globally connected economy.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04hCKfR0

Three Decades of Impact: Celebrating The Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund🤝🇿🇦Thirty years after its founding, the Nelson Man...
21/05/2026

Three Decades of Impact: Celebrating The Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund🤝🇿🇦

Thirty years after its founding, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund stands as one of South Africa’s most enduring and influential institutions dedicated to advancing the rights and wellbeing of children. Established in 1995 by the late Nelson Mandela, the Fund has evolved from a modest philanthropic initiative into a powerful development agency shaping policy, advocacy and community-level interventions across the country. Marking its 30th anniversary, the Fund is not only reflecting on its legacy, but also looking ahead and reaffirming its commitment to building a society where every child is safe, supported and able to thrive.

As highlighted by CEO Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo, the milestone represents both progress made and a renewed urgency to address the persistent challenges facing children in South Africa today.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04htxfT0

The Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs (TM-School) is an established School at Unisa - The Uni...
18/05/2026

The Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs (TM-School) is an established School at Unisa - The University of South Africa, in partnership with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation (TMF). TM-School is envisioned as a premier graduate school to advance public sector education in public and international affairs. The school seeks to be a magnet of excellence in education, experiential learning, and research🎓.

At the launch of the TM-School in September 2020, H.E Thabo Mbeki, Chancellor of Unisa said that the purpose of education was to learn to question everything and that our aim in teaching should be to produce men and women who are both critical and creative. In this respect, he emphasised, "Our students should be encouraged to be thinkers and doers rather than accumulators of facts and receivers of knowledge. This must be so if they are to be instruments of change, working towards the realisation of a just and, consequently, a stable society"🤝.

Read all about the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs (TM-School) in our Cover Story of the next edition of the Public Sector leaders publication!

📌 Brought to you by Topco Media!

Behind the Low Confidence: What is Causing The Weaker Sentiment in Local Agriculture 🤔?✍️ By Wandile Sihlobo, Presidenti...
15/05/2026

Behind the Low Confidence: What is Causing The Weaker Sentiment in Local Agriculture 🤔?
✍️ By Wandile Sihlobo, Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land & Chief Economist of the Agbiz (Agricultural Business Chamber) of South Africa

Confidence in South Africa’s farming and agribusiness sector has weakened, according to our latest quarterly survey. The Agbiz/IDC Agribusiness Confidence Index, a sentiment indicator in the sector, fell by 18 points in the first quarter of 2026 to 49. A level below the 50-neutral mark typically indicates pessimism. The change in sentiment from the upbeat tone we started the year with is justifiable. Less than a quarter into the year, there are worsening domestic and global challenges that will weigh on the sector’s performance and will be top-of-mind for agribusinesses.

On the domestic side, the ongoing challenge of animal diseases, mainly foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in cattle and African swine fever in the pig industry, is a key concern. Vaccination is gaining momentum in the cattle industry. Still, the challenge of securing supplies at the start of the year had a significant impact on the dairy industry in KwaZulu-Natal and value chains in the beef industry in other provinces, such as the Free State, Gauteng, and North West.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04gNgk00

Reimagining Local Governance: Inside South Africa’s Revised White Paper on Local Government ✍️Nearly three decades after...
13/05/2026

Reimagining Local Governance: Inside South Africa’s Revised White Paper on Local Government ✍️

Nearly three decades after the adoption of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government, the government has embarked on an ambitious reform process to build a more capable, ethical and responsive municipal landscape. At the centre of this effort is the revised draft White Paper on Local Government, which seeks to reimagine the next 30 years of local governance.

Described as a “clear path for a modern, coherent and resilient local government system,” the revised draft represents a bold and necessary step forward. It reflects both systemic challenges and a vision for transformation that places communities, accountability and service delivery at its core. Minister of Departments: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa, has emphasised that local government is “where policies convert into actual services” and where citizens experience governance directly.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition here: https://hubs.la/Q04gknGz0

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