SAPS to launch management programme for women

By Tando Mfengwana
20 April 2007

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape has developed a management programme for women.

Glen May, Director of the Carrier Management for Province of the WC SAPS, said that “reflecting on our employment equity targets, we saw that we need a special effort to address factors that hinders women from accessing leadership positions in SAPS.”

SAPS Media Centre director Novela Potelwa, says 20 female officers have been selected to participate in the four-month long programme.

May said, “Besides the academic side of it, we have also identified internal mentors that will assist with the practical applications of the competencies acquired at the course to apply that to the workplace.”

The officers will be trained in Personal management, General Management, Financial management and Strategic Management at the University of Stellenbosch’s School of Public Development and Planning.

May added that they identified "four external mentors who are successful business women and their role is to act as role models, reflecting on their own experiences and values with the officers.”