LEAD KwaZulu Natal: Security Structures

A Leadership and Conflict Management (LEAD) workshop for South African Police Services (SAPS) is currently being held in Durban, South Africa from 19 of December until 20 December, 2019. This 2-day LEAD training is part of part of the PEV-RSA national project, funded by the European Union. The PEV RSA project (www.democracy-support.eu/southafrica) is 24 months (2018/20) and is implemented by the European Centre for Electoral Support in partnership with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

The opening ceremony had speeches from the Provincial Electoral Officer of KwaZulu Natal (KZN), Mawethu Mosery, as well as Brigadier Ngcobo from SAPs, the speakers brought up that while the election is something under the purview of the IEC, the role of the police is to “ensure that every citizens can access their vote without the threat of violence”, according to Mr. Mosery.

Participants are commissioned officers from across KZN. By raising the capacity of the leaders and mangers of the KwaZulu Natal police, a holistic approach to preventing electoral violence will be taken.

This is the 11th LEAD training nationally and the 5th to happen in KZN, with training already occurring across South Africa. This training also comes after a training on national SAPs and other members of the South African security community in September. This training is part of the PEV RSA project’s capacity building component.

The curriculum on Leadership and Dialogue was crafted by ECES in partnership with Centre for Creative Leadership, CCL. CCL is based the US and delivers high-end executive education for world leaders. Such trainings are usually very costly and require far more time than what one usually can afford. The partnership between CCL and ECES emerged to make leadership training accessible and affordable for electoral stakeholders.

Leadership training blended with dialogue techniques has so far proven to be a winning concept. Leadership, both for the individual and organizational level, are essential components of electoral processes.

The LEAD workshop in Durban is meant to explore various ways how exchange between stakeholders of difference of opinion, beliefs or ideologies can be carried out almost conflict-free by making use of technical skills.

In sum then, this workshop in Durban is a forum whereby members of SAPS in KZN can further develop skills in leadership and dialogue and learn new skills and approaches on how to succeed with dialogue.

The workshop is being facilitated by Zefanias Matsimbe, Senior Lecturer at Eduardo Mondiane University and a senior expert at EISA, Rindai Chipfunde-Vava, Host Director of the Election Support Network of Southern Africa and Executive Director of Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Steph Snel, Election Conflict Management Advisor, Joyce Pitso, Capacity Development Advisor, Mxolisi Nyuswa, and lastly, Eldred de Klerk, Election Conflict Management Advisor for ECES.