Exploring the managerial competencies for excellent performance in KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Services.

Abstract

In South Africa (SA), previous research and the strategic plans for the South African Police Service (SAPS) have highlighted that inadequate managerial skills hinder professional advancement and effective crime management. The objective of this exploratory qualitative study was to examine managerial competencies for excellent performance, and subsequently, develop a framework for excellent performance tailored to the unique challenges faced by the SAPS in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Guided by an interpretivist research philosophy, this study utilized semi-structured interviews to gather data from a sample of 11 purposively selected high-performing police managers at the levels of Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels, and Brigadiers, to explore their understanding of the managerial competences which tip them to excellent performance. Participants were drawn from various components within the KZN SAPS Provincial Office, ensuring a diverse representation of experiences and insights. Interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis to derive key themes related to managerial competences for excellent performance, according to the police work experience of the selected high performing police officers who participated in the research. The study reveals seven themes relating to competencies that are essential for ensuring excellent performance within the KZN SAPS. These themes include emotional intelligence (EQ) to lead self and others, enhancing collaboration for effective work performance, effective communication across multiple forms to achieve desired results, decision-making in a variety of stable and volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) contexts, command leadership agility, technology-savviness for informed policing, and strategic thinking. The second research question in this study focused on how managerial competencies impact performance outcomes in the KZN SAPS. Seven themes relating to the competencies that influence performance outcomes within the organization emerged, including decisive leadership competency, communication competency, decision-making competency, knowledge and expertise competency, management and administrative competency, analytical thinking, and problemsolving competency. Lastly, a competency framework for excellent managerial performance in the KZN SAPS is developed and proposed. The framework provides a structured approach to equipping police managers with the skills necessary to navigate complex challenges and enhance organizational effectiveness. The study concludes that police leadership should focus on strengthening the identified managerial competencies if they are to build the SAPS with excellent performers, pivotal to improving service delivery and addressing crime management challenges in the KZN SAPS.