21 December 2016
Mutual and reciprocal interests in human resources development and its ongoing effective workplace management is the glue that holds warming relations between the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Institute of People Management (IPM), it transpired at the latter organization’s annual conference and awards function in Johannesburg recently.
SAMSA’s special guest status at the function was in remembrance and honour of the maritime authority’s Centre for Maritime Excellence former executive head, the late Ms Sindiswa Carol Nhlumayo, who passed away earlier this year.
At the time, Ms Nhlumayo, had been four months into her term as the IPM’s ‘ambassador’ in lieu of her top national achievement as the people management organization’s “Business Leader of the Year 2015 Award’ winner – this in recognition of her sterling efforts to advance human resources development in the country, but particularly in the maritime and tourism sectors over a number of years.
Ms Nhlumayo died of cancer in February 2016. She was 44 years old.
In Johannesburg recently the theme of the IPM 60th 2016 conference was ‘Gearing up for the fourth Industrial Revolution’, with SAMSA allotted a slot to share its viewpoint on “Leadership in New Economies” from its vantage point with respect to the country’s maritime economic sector development, championed nationally under the theme of Operation Phakisa (Ocean Economy).
Ms Itumeleng Pooe, a senior manager for Marine Tourism and Leisure, and a former close colleague of Ms Nhlumayo, represented SAMSA. She expressed appreciation of the developing relationship between SAMSA and the IPM.
“The presentation was partly to pay respect to Sindiswa posthumously and share with the audience the work she has done in traversing our people especially young ones through the world of maritime, precisely through skills development, transformation, training etc and the synergies she has created between maritime and other fields, said Ms Pooe.
Mr Elijah Litheko, chief executive officer of IPM later described the presentation as a “moving tribute and befitting for a caliber of person Sindiswa was.”
The two organizations are working on bedding down the relationship struck due to Ms Nhlumayo’s work, with the IPM having now allocated SAMSA, at its discretion, a ceremonial ‘ambassadorial’ position for the next year allowing for sustained linkages between the organizations.
Said Ms Pooe: “This is a welcomed opportunity which will see SAMSA continuing to fly the maritime flag and deepening the understanding of maritime amongst peers while doing work to promote people development, awareness and empowerment.
“It is these very spaces that ensure that SAMSA remains current and relevant more so that people development is becoming an economy on its own as we gear for the fourth industrial revolution,” she said.
Her sentiment reflected on that by SAMSA acting CEO, Mr Sobantu Tilayi who described the development as inspiring to both organization.’
According to Mr Sobantu, Ms Nhlumayo played a crucial and pioneering role in positioning SAMSA a critical role player and partner in the development and expansion of maritime education and skills development in the country, from foundational to tertiary and vocational levels.
Conversely, he said: “The IPM is the country’s lead people focused organization engaged in shaping the proper and effective management of people in the workplace and therefore its work is very complimentary to ours in terms of our contribution to human resources skills development and effective management.”
Mr Sobantu said SAMSA’s Chief Human Capital Officer, Ms Lesego Mashishi would assume the role of a point person between the two organizations.
Ms Mashishi said she was honored to be afforded the opportunity to work with the IPM on mutually beneficial issues between the two organizations.
End.
What being an IPM ‘ambassador’ means.
According to IPM CEO, Rre Elijah Litheko, the role involves participants assisting the organization “to fulfil its strategic mission of becoming the portal to thought leadership in people management, helping to address current challenges facing business and society through supporting relationships which focus on the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience, as well as mobilizing critical resources. It is through these relationships that IPM will be able to increase its impact and make a significant contribution to HR in South Africa.”
Support could involve any of a number of activities among which are the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience according to participant’s respective industry sectors or jobs role for the benefit of the HR community and IPM members and mobilizing resources or networks to support and enhance the activities of the Institute. Reciprocity derives in the opportunity for participants being able to regularly profile their own organizations in their engagements.
Ms Chikunga said Ms Nhlumayo’s death was unfortunate as it came at a time when SAMSA was gathering speed with several of its promotional programmes of the country’s maritime economic sector and which has now seen commercial cargo vessels carrying the country’s flag for the first time in more than 30 years.
Ms Nhlumayo (45), an Executive Head of SAMSA’s Centre for Maritime Excellence was a highly recognized business leader and manager acknowledged worldwide for her acumen and style. 