News and updates from the Nelson Mandela School

Dr Precious Moloi‑Motsepe, Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT); Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education and a graduate of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance; and Professor Mosa Moshabela, Vice‑Chancellor of UCT. Photo: Lerato Maduna

The Nelson Mandela School continues to serve as a convening space for engaged scholarship, policy‑driven research and intergenerational dialogue. In this newsletter, we share highlights from our students, partners and faculty, reflecting the power of collaboration.

Autumn 2026 Graduation
The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance celebrated the University of Cape Town Autumn graduation alongside our students and their families. This moment allowed us to pause and honour an important milestone. Our graduates will always remain part of the School’s story. We are immensely proud of each of you, and we wish you every success as you continue to serve Africa with integrity and lead with compassion.

Executive Education new short courses
The Nelson Mandela School is proud to be part of the Transformative African Leadership (TAL) programme — a pan‑African executive leadership initiative developed through a historic collaboration between four leading African universities.
Partners include:

Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Senegal
University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco

The programme is supported by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and is designed for mid‑career professionals committed to strengthening leadership and governance across Africa.

Executive Leadership Programme
From 17–19 March 2026, the School, in partnership with the Cities Support Programme (National Treasury), hosted a three‑day Executive Leadership Programme on Creating Enabling Environments for Cities to Thrive: The Role of National Departments in Metro Trading Services Reform

The programme provided a platform for senior leaders across national government to engage in candid dialogue, reflect on institutional and personal responsibility, and commit to collective action for well‑governed, thriving cities.

Academic Programme's Master of Development Policy and Practice
The Master of Development Policy and Practice (MDPP) continue to consolidate its position as the School’s flagship practitioner‑focused degree. For the 2026 academic year, the School received a large and highly competitive pool of applications, admitting approximately one‑third of applicants. This sustained selectivity reflects continued demand for advanced, practice‑oriented training in development policy.

The current cohort brings together experienced professionals from across Southern and Eastern Africa, drawn from national treasuries, municipal governments, regulatory authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian organisations and policy offices. Many students return directly to senior policy and implementation roles, ensuring rapid institutional impact. Applications for the 2027 academic year are now open.

Alumni reflections and celebrations

Abigail Basweti recently graduated with a Master of Development Policy and Practice. Reflecting on this milestone, she writes:

“My academic journey over the past two years has been defined by resilience, intentional risk‑taking and sustained commitment to growth. Beyond intellectual development, this journey has been profoundly transformative on a personal level. The academic environment pushed me beyond my comfort zone, compelling me to engage more actively, articulate my perspectives with confidence and embrace leadership in its diverse forms. One of the most significant lessons I take forward is that leadership does not require dominance or volume; rather, it can be exercised with quiet strength, intentionality and clarity of purpose.”

Abigail Basweti, Master of Development Policy and Practice graduate.

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube has graduated with a Master of Development Policy and Practice. She completed this degree through the Nelson Mandela School. For her research paper, Minister Gwarube examined political instability in the City of Johannesburg and its impact on service delivery over the past decade, drawing directly on her lived experience and insights gained during her time in Parliament. The UCT News team interviewed Minister Gwarube to discuss her academic journey, research findings and the importance of learning. You can watch the interview here.

Partners Spotlight

The Nelson Mandela School, in partnership with the New South Institute, hosted Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, during her visit to South Africa. Emeritus Professor Alan Hirsch led a roundtable discussion attended by academics and policy practitioners from UCT, University of the Western Cape, the Institute for Security Studies and the Scalabrini Institute.

IOM roundtable — The UN director general of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope (front centre), highlighted the importance of evidence-based migration reform during a roundtable discussion at the University of Cape Town

On 26 March 2026, the School, Open Society Foundations and Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosted a comparative dialogue on democratic resilience in Brazil, South Africa and across the African continent. Authors of Democracy on a Tightrope shared findings highlighting the importance of balancing political legitimacy with bureaucratic expertise to sustain inclusive and participatory democracy. Access the e‑book.
The School, in partnership with Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, convened a public seminar focused on navigating coalition governance in South Africa. Watch the full recording here.
The Public Ethics Network South Africa (PENZA) hosted its 3rd Annual Workshop at the School on 21–22 January 2026.
The workshop addressed critical questions on public trust, ethical leadership, whistleblowing, organisational culture and teaching public ethics in the post‑State Capture era.

Achievements

Dr Marianne Camerer received the International Anti‑Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award in Doha, Qatar. For nearly three decades, Dr Camerer has been asking some of South Africa’s most difficult questions: How is power used or abused? Why does corruption persist? What does ethical leadership look like in practice? Full story available here.
Professor Carlos Lopes was awarded the inaugural Amílcar Cabral Prize by the Universidade de Cabo Verde. The prize celebrates Prof Lopes’ exceptional contributions to African thought leadership, development policy and global governance. In this short video, he reflects on the significance of Amílcar Cabral’s legacy for the governance challenges we face today.