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The HonsBPA/BCom programme started the Bellville contact this week with a total number of 169 Hons students registered for 2016 and a new intake of 122 students.

At the formal opening Dr Zwelinzima Ndevu, the new programme head for the Hons programme, welcomed the students. He extended his well wishes to all, and encouraged students to proactively find ways to balance their busy work schedules with the compact study programme. He also encouraged students to build strong networks with their fellow students during the contact week, to ensure continuing support during their studies.

Prof Johan Burger, Director of the SPL, provided an overview of the requirements of the Hons programme. He emphasised the importance of the research component of the Hons programme where students can use their knowledge to start the path towards practical solutions for problems in their work environment. Prof Burger then congratulated the 2015 Hons group that had set a new record graduation number: A total of 94 students graduated from the HonsBPA/BCom programme in 2015.

 The event was also used to recognise the 2016 best students per module and certificates where presented by Prof Burger to the following students based in the Western Cape vicinity. For the respective modules, the top student(s) for 2015 are:

• Research Assignment: L Gerrans & NN Davids (73%)
• Organisational Design: DM Jacobs (79%)
• Leadership and Change Management: S Goldblatt & ED Lekala  (76%)
• Information and Communication Technology: L Gerrans & J Petersen (83%)
• Sustainable Development: ME Cilliers & H Heyns (85%)
• Economic Governance: ME Cilliers (79%)
• Local Governance: BJ Brown & MB Sheraton (81%)
• Political Governance: ED Lekala (73%)
• Project Management: MB Sheraton (96%)
• Financial Management & Cost Accounting: EA Jeneker (83%)
• People Management: J Petersen (83%)
• Public Policy Management: LM Ntsabo & ZS Ndlovu (79%)  

The certificates for best students that are based in the Gauteng vicinity will be presented at the Pretoria contact week opening ceremony next Monday 29 February.

The award for the Dux student of 2015 is sponsored by the Public Sector division of PricewaterhouseCoopers who have a longstanding relationship with the SPL. Mr Pieter Strauss (Partner/Director: PwC) from the PWC congratulated the new Hons students on selecting to attend what he regards as the best public sector school in South Africa. He remarked that students with the SPL Hons degree are well recognised in the market and that many past students have become valued clients of the PwC.

Mr Strauss proudly announced Mr Malan Jacobs (a Mandela Rhodes scholar) as the Dux student for 2016 with a final average mark of 75% (Cum laude).

Mr Jacobs in his acceptance speech described his experience of the SPL as follows:

"I'd like to say that it's been a great privilege to have been involved with the School of Public Leadership since 2009. The School is much more than an academic department – it's there, on the ground, busy to strengthen the public sector in South Africa through innovative interventions and practical training programmes – of which this Honours is one of them. I would like to encourage you to be on the lookout for opportunities for engagement outside of your studies – as there are many. The Stellenbosch Good Governance Forum which is a knowledge and learning platform promoting public sector innovation and partnerships, the 2016 Winelands Conference on Governance of Transitions in a Complex World and the Breakfast Discussion series come to mind."

He encouraged the new Hons students to use the many opportunities for practical exposure offered by the SPL, to interact with fellow students during the contact week, and to use new knowledge and understanding to improve South Africa.

The ceremony was formally closed by Dr Ndevu, who extended thanks to Ms Lydia Meyer (Programme Administrator) for all her hard work and support to the students and to Ms Rosslyn Abrahams and the other support staff for their assistance to the contact week and function.

This set the scene for some well-deserved relaxation and socialisation at the cocktail function.​