Prof. Albert Strydom, Dean of Management Sciences; Malefane Sekoboto, CEO of Centlec; Cllr Vusi Soqaga, MMC Engineering and Infrastructure, Councilor Gregory Nthatisi, Mangaung Metro Municipality Executive Mayor, Prof. Samson Mashele; acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement; Mr Casca Mokitlane, Centlec Board Chairperson, and Prof. Crispen Chipunza, CUT Human Resources and Business Management Professor.

The Central University of Technology and Centlec have unveiled a one-of-a-kind Executive Leadership and Management Development Programme, custom-crafted for 20 Centlec executive and senior management officials. This programme, with its unique approach, is set to revolutionise leadership and management skills in a practical and effective manner.

The six-month Executive Management Development Programme is a learning opportunity and a certified one. Accredited by CUT, this programme adheres to the new approach to education and training, ensuring the development, upskilling, and multi-skilling of human capital in the community.

CUT acting Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation, and Engagement, Prof. Samson Mashele, emphasised that leadership is a dynamic concept. ‘Over the next six months, you will be part of a collaborative learning journey, designed to challenge your thinking, broaden your perspectives, and enhance your leadership capabilities. Our goal is to foster an environment where you can learn from each other, exchange ideas, and develop solutions to the complex challenges you face in your roles. This innovative programme aligns with our commitment to foster collaboration and innovation. In addition to our prospects that we have already spoken about, CUT is continuing with that existing MOU with Centlec to ensure that we deliver and that we skill people as we move forward,” encouraged Mashele.

Centlec Board Chairperson, Mr Casca Mokitlane, added that the programme intends to hone the skills of executive management and senior management and answer the call of building capacity for leadership in Centlec. “There can be no doubt that the cry for leadership reverberates throughout our organisation, Centlec, and our beloved country's hills, mountains, and valleys. We owe it to our country to contribute to the demand for leadership, which is pervasive in many organisations and our country broadly. Organisations are what they are because of leadership. Countries are what they are because of leadership,” said Mokitlane.

20 Centlec executive and senior management officials are taking part in the Executive Leadership and Management Development Programme.

Mangaung Metro Municipality Executive Mayor Councillor Gregory Nthatisi added that the course designed by the institution is a notch higher for their qualifications. “To revitalise their knowledge economy first and foremost, but to be at a level of mastering the trade, but also mastering the level of ensuring that what they run always succeeds. But the knowledge economy and knowledge that we've been faced with lately are more focused on knowledge that would require us to be on par with development. We are dealing with artificial knowledge that would need a challenging mind to be vibrant and active and to face up to ensure we master our terrain. The institution is putting us at par with the challenges out there,” added Nthatisi, who further encouraged others to follow suit.

Officials started with basic training on the institution's e-learning platform, with their first module being emotional intelligence.