Department of Community Safety 2025/07/04 - 10:27
Reflections of a Master’s Graduate
Ebrahim Williams, a Master’s graduate from the University of Johannesburg and a native of Ekurhuleni, expresses his gratitude towards the Gauteng Department of Community Safety’s Head of Department, Ms. Nontsikelelo Sisulu, and professionals from the Strategic Management Team, Director Puleng Rakitla and Mr. Andrew Avontuur for giving him the opportunity to conduct a research topic on one of the department’s impactful subjects within the Monitoring and Evaluation scope of work.
His findings and contributions are proving pivotal in reshaping the role of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) withing the department. This is what Mr. William had to say…
QUESTIONS:
Academic Achievement and Motivation
What inspired you to pursue a Master of Administration in Public Management and Governance?
I've always been a "brainiac"—even in primary school. After earning my Honours degree cum laude, pursuing a Master’s felt like the natural next step. But my real motivation came from a fear of unemployment after my internship ended. I wanted to stand out and improve my chances in a competitive job market. I initially saw the degree as a platform for a possible career shift.
As time passed and I became employed, I realised this journey was more personal. Approaching my 30s, I hit an early mid-life crisis—I was questioning everything: my career, my education, my life choices. I needed to prove to myself that I could do this—not just for a career pivot, but to change the trajectory of my life.
It wasn’t easy. What should have been a two-year programme turned into a five-year ordeal. I registered a year before COVID-19 hit, and the lockdown completely disrupted research efforts. Face-to-face interviews were impossible, and the whole country was trying to adjust to a new normal. My progress was delayed by nearly three years.
On top of that, I was self-funding. Some semesters, I couldn’t even afford to register. Balancing life and studies took a toll on my mental health—I was borderline depressed at times. But I refused to give in. I leaned into prayer and stayed faithful.
I received two academic warnings due to missed deadlines—one was an exclusion letter, which would’ve banned me from studying further. Thankfully, with the support of my supervisor, I appealed and continued.
Eventually, after years of pushing, everything fell into place. Within five months, I received approval to conduct research at the Department of Community Safety. I completed my final chapters and submitted my dissertation.
When my results came in, I sobbed. The message read:
“Your degree will be conferred, with distinction, during a graduation ceremony of the University of Johannesburg in March 2025.”
A surreal moment after years of struggle.
What does graduating with distinction (cum laude) mean to you personally and professionally?
Honestly, I didn’t even know you could earn distinctions in university—until I got my first during undergrad. That moment sparked something in me. As a township kid competing alongside the privileged, it showed me the playing field could be leveled with hard work.
Graduating with distinction during my Honours year came as another surprise—and I adopted that same work ethic when I started my Master’s. But this time, distinction wasn’t the goal. I just wanted to finish. After so many years, you lose motivation and start aiming for the bare minimum.
So, receiving that final result with a distinction meant the world to me. It was proof that persistence pays off. Professionally, I hope it sets me apart and opens doors. I’ve always believed merit should be rewarded, and I trust this achievement reflects my dedication.
Can you share a bit about your research focus and what motivated you to choose that particular topic?
My research study focussed on the institutionalisation (implementation) of the Management Performance Assessment Tool (MPAT), a monitoring and evaluation tool that was implemented nationally across provincial departments, with a particular focus on the Departments of Education and Community Safety. The study was based on the notion of a “malicious compliance culture” which was prevalent across provincial departments, nationally. Here public officials were said to implement the system by maliciously complying with the prescripts of the system without making effective changes in performance. Basically, the system was regarded as a box-ticking exercise, which officials were complying with, without making changes in their performance (which is the core of the system).
Research and Impact
How did the Gauteng Department of Community Safety influence your research?
I conducted research with officials from the department’s Monitoring & Evaluation/Research Unit. These are veteran public servants with deep institutional knowledge—especially important since MPAT was later decommissioned. One of the officials even proposed a similar system post-decommissioning, which speaks volumes about their expertise.
Their insights were critical to understanding how implementation unfolded, and their perspectives enriched my research immensely.
What were the key findings or recommendations from your study?
The study confirmed the presence of malicious compliance, but also revealed deeper systemic issues:
- A compliance-driven culture
- Lack of skills and staffing
- Poor departmental readiness
- A rigid, top-down implementation approach
- Minimal ownership of the system
- Poor support from the national implementing department
Ultimately, MPAT was discontinued before it could reach maturity. Many officials felt it had great potential if it had been properly embedded.
Key recommendations included:
- Investing in M&E structures
- Building capacity and ensuring staff readiness
- Conducting needs assessments before rollout
- Securing leadership buy-in
- Integrating systems into departmental workflows
- Fostering a learning-focused, results-driven evaluation culture
Do you believe your research has practical implications for governance and safety in the province?
Absolutely. M&E is still emerging in South Africa's public sector, even though it’s widely used internationally. With ongoing service delivery challenges, effective M&E can help improve performance and accountability.
My study offers insights into how national M&E systems can be better implemented—and highlights the risks of superficial compliance. It also provides a foundation for future research into this phenomenon.
Professional Growth and Experience
How has your postgraduate journey shaped your approach to public service or leadership?
As a public official myself, this experience helped me challenge stereotypes about government workers. Many of us are deeply committed—but the system often holds us back. I now believe that small, sustained reforms can help us evolve into a high-performing, service-driven public sector.
What were the biggest challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
COVID-19 disrupted everything. Learning moved online, and my research was delayed by over a year. Post-lockdown, it was hard to get participants as people were still adjusting.
Funding was another major issue. I self-funded the entire programme. I missed several first semesters due to unpaid fees and had to apply for debt arrangements. This meant constant delays, missed deadlines, and academic warnings.
Still, I persevered.
What key skills or insights have you gained and now apply professionally?
A Master’s journey is isolating and demanding. It taught me discipline, resilience, and how to balance many moving parts. I improved my research, reading, writing, and analytical thinking skills—all of which I now use in my work as a public sector researcher.
It also helped me step outside my comfort zone socially and engage more confidently with others. Most importantly, I now bring deeper knowledge of M&E and system implementation into my work.
Advice and Reflection
What advice would you give to other public servants or young professionals interested in pursuing advanced studies?
- Don’t wait - Don’t wait for a bursary to start studying. And don’t delay something because of your inability to afford. If you are given the opportunity to study, grab it with both hands and try your best to pay your fees with the little that you have. There are many avenues available should you not be able to pay your fees fully and you will not be prevented from continuing your studies based on your inability to pay. During my studies I owed up to R20 000 at a time, but somehow my R1500 commitment per month paid off in the end.
- Be dedicated – Once you have started this journey, remain devoted to your studies. Sacrifice and make time for it when you can and always have the end goal in sight. Every time you see yourself in that mirror – imagine yourself wearing that gown and sash. You will be required to sacrifice a lot during this time, but you won’t miss anything.
- Trust yourself – Studying is not about how smart you are. It is about dedication and hard work (relentless effort). You are no different from any other student at the University. Don’t make your background and living circumstances prevent you from reaching your dream. All it takes is one step, the rest will fall into place.
At the start of my journey, I knew nothing about research and writing a dissertation. I asked myself how I am going to achieve this and now I have a dissertation written from research that I never thought I could do. The university thought it was so great that they gave me a distinction. Imagine that!- Pray – I once came across a saying at the university study halls that a student wrote: “Study like praying doesn’t help. Pray like studying doesn’t help”. I have always stood by this saying. If you feel overwhelmed and like things are not going your way after continuously pushing – go on your knees and pray to God or any higher power that you follow. Sometimes it’s okay to surrender to a higher power when you feel like you have given it your all or reached wits end.
- Build a solid support structure – Make sure that everyone around you is in your corner. Build a village of people that will always support you and cheer you on. You need to know that people are rooting for you, especially when it seems like nothing is going in the right direction.
What role do partnerships between academia and government play in public sector reform?Academic institutions have a huge role to play in professionalising government. Often, there’s a gap between theory and practice. Stronger partnerships would help bridge that divide and shape ethical, high-performing state institutions.
Looking ahead, how do you plan to continue contributing to the public sector or your community?
I’m a career public servant, deeply committed to nation-building. I want to leave a legacy of positive change—and help build a more accountable, effective public sector for future generations.
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