Thesis (PhD (Public Management and Planning ))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The result of this research is an alternative model for leadership character development in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The SANDF reflects the racial and cultural diversity of South Africa as a nation. The need for a unifying leadership-related mechanism for the military milieu in which humane leadership development will flourish, is evident. This statement is based on the premise that no evidence is found that any previous efforts by the SANDF to instil a leadership philosophy or policy as a way of military life was successful. Further shortcomings in the current SANDF leadership development model, apart from the reality that its selection process of officer candidates needs improvement, are the absence of political guidance and participation in the development of its military leaders, as well as emaciated attention to the development of the character side of leaders during officer formative training. The SANDF, unlike the international tendency, has no military leadership institution to ensure that its leadership development policies and practices are based on sound academic research. Such an institution will also ensure that the SANDF stays contemporary in the global field of military leadership development. The shortcomings of the current SANDF Model were identified by progressing through the academic theories on leadership and leadership development to a comparative analysis of leadership development practices in the militaries of Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and the SANDF. This supplied the information needed to propose the Five Point Star Model (FPS Model) for leadership character development in the SANDF. The five components of the FPS Model, which address the shortcomings of the current SANDF Model, are Convergent Leadership, Political Participation, Superior Selection, Interventions for Leadership Character Development, and a Military Leadership Institution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitkoms van hierdie navorsing is ’n alternatiewe model wat die tekortkominge in die ontwikkeling van leierskapkarakter in die Suid Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag (SANW) aanspreek. Die SANW weerspieël die rasse- en kulturele diversiteit van die Suid Afrikaanse nasie, wat die behoefte aan ‘n samebindende leierskapsverwante meganisme na vore bring. Hierdie stelling is gegrond daarop dat geen bewys, waar die SANW daarin geslaag het om ’n samebindende leierskapsfilosofie of –beleid as ‘n militêre leefwyse te vestig, gevind is om sodoende die militêre milieu te skep waarin mensgerigte leierskap sal floreer nie. Verdere tekortkominge in die huidige Leierskapsontwikkelingsmodel van die SANW, bo en behalwe dat die keuringsproses van kandidaat-offisiere uitgebrei en verbeter moet word, is die afwesigheid van politieke deelname en rigtinggewing waar die ontwikkeling van die land se jong militêre leiers ter sprake is. Te min aandag word ook gewy aan die ontwikkeling van kandidaat-offisiere se karakter of inbors tydens offisiersvorming kursusse. Die internasionale tendens is vir weermagte om ‘n militêre leierskapsinstelling te hê. Die SANW het nie so ‘n instelling om te verseker dat militêre leierskapsontwikkelingsbeleid en -praktyke op behoorlike akademiese navorsing gefundeer is nie. Dit maak dit moeilik om ’n kontemporêre bydrae in die internasionale veld van militêre leierskap te maak. Die wyse waarop die tekortkominge van die huidige SANW Leierskapsontwikkelingsmodel geïdentifiseer is, was om voort te bou op die akademiese teorieë oor leierskap en leierskapsontwikkeling en om ’n vergelykende studie tussen leierskapsontwikkelingspraktyke in die weermagte van Duitsland, Brittanje, Kanada en die SANW te doen. Die vergelykende studie het inligting verskaf om die Vyfpuntster Model vir die ontwikkeling van leierskapkarakter in die SANW voor te stel. Die vyf komponente van die nuwe model spreek die tekortkominge van die huidige SANW Model aan, en die komponente is Konvergerende Leierskap, Politieke Deelhebberskap, Voortreflike Keuring, Intervensies vir Leierskapkarakterontwikkeling, en ‘n Instansie vir Militêre Leierskap.