Project Archives — University of the Western Cape

22 July 2026

Insights and experiences on leadership development: South African Learning Alliance for the District Health System

Overall, current evidence suggests that there is a need to rethink and advance health system learning and management development in South Africa. This policy brief outlines the key conclusions we have reached in the SALAD network on strengthening leadership and management capacity in and for the DHS. The focus in this brief is on the development of leadership capacity.

15 July 2026

District-level innovations that strengthen human resources for health

This July 2026 webinar explores strategic and systemic innovations designed to strengthen and support the health workforce within the DHS. Speakers discuss the integration of 5,000 community health workers into formal structures in KwaZulu-Natal, virtual clinical mentorship in the Eastern Cape, and recruitment strategies in Limpopo.

8 July 2026

Quality health systems

Quality health services require complex systems and processes to work together in harmony. Here, we explore various elements of the DHS that impact the quality of health services with an emphasis on successful models from across the country.

8 July 2026

Leadership

Leadership in South Africa’s DHS requires motivating and coordinating local providers while facilitating whole-of-government and whole-of-society collaboration. Here, we explore how to strengthen and conceptualise leadership without exercising traditional command-and-control managerial authority.

8 July 2026

Health financing

Quality healthcare in South Africa requires the careful management of limited financial resources. Here, we look at strategies for managing those resources in innovative ways.

8 July 2026

Monitoring, evaluation, learning

To address the complex frontline realities of South African communities, the district health system must continually monitor, evaluate and learn (MEL) about what is working, what is not, and how needs are changing. Here, we explore innovative approaches to MEL across the health system.

8 July 2026

Community-oriented primary care

Across South Africa, district health system leaders are imagining innovative ways to understand community health needs and integrate community voices and priorities into primary health care and public health through community-oriented primary care (COPC). Here, we explore COPC approaches implemented across South Africa.

3 June 2026

From disabling to trustworthy leadership: Towards psychological safety in the District Health System

This June 2026 webinar examines the shift from a punitive, compliance-driven management culture toward a culture that prioritizes psychological safety and encourages staff to openly report errors and fail safely. Speakers highlight how leadership styles impact workplace trust and team performance, concluding with a call for distributed and relational leadership models to build a resilient health system rooted in empathy and continuous learning.

28 May 2026

District Health System in South Africa

The District Health System (DHS) is the cornerstone of an equitable, primary healthcare-led system in South Africa. Here, we capture the evolution of the DHS from its early days post-1994 to the present.