The City of Cape Town has partnered with STADIO Higher Education to develop a specialised bachelor’s degree in municipal policing, aimed at strengthening professional standards and improving safety outcomes across South Africa.
The qualification will be offered nationally through the City’s Public Safety Training College, with STADIO initially incorporating the content into its existing Bachelor of Policing Practices programme while the City’s college completes full accreditation for degree-level delivery.
The Public Safety Training College is already accredited by several national bodies, including the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority, the Road Traffic Management Corporation, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations and the South African Police Service as a training provider for road traffic law enforcement qualifications. The college also holds category five registration from the Private Firearms Training Council.
Established in 2008, the training college has expanded significantly over the years, providing training and development for both permanent staff and volunteers across the City’s enforcement services.
Geordin Hill-Lewis said the initiative reflects the City’s commitment to professionalising metro policing and strengthening collaboration with the South African Police Service.
“We can make our cities much safer with well-trained metro police working in strong partnerships with SAPS,” said Hill-Lewis. “By investing in training excellence, we are ensuring our officers are ready to operate at the forefront of crime prevention and enforcement.”
According to JP Smith, the partnership will support long-term career development within municipal law enforcement while helping to standardise professional training nationally.
“This qualification will unlock new opportunities for our enforcement staff and create a pipeline for career progression within the City. It also provides an opportunity to positively influence municipal policing across the country,” said Smith.
Under the agreement, qualifying students will receive a STADIO qualification, with the City recognised in the awarding of the degree.
Chris Vorster joined City representatives at the official signing ceremony marking the launch of the partnership.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen skills development in the safety and security sector and improve the professional capacity of municipal policing services nationwide.
