Practitioner – Matthew Skade

Matthew Skade is a Senior Research Officer with the Institute for Safety Governance and Criminology (formerly the Centre of Criminology). Is currently completing an MPhil in Criminology with the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town, in which he is examining the relationship between the role that crime and governance plays on the safety and security of commuters at public transport interchanges.

 His other research interests include safety governance: protection economies, township violence and urban safety, as well as migrants’ safety and security, public transportation and youth safety and entrepreneurship. 

 His work experience spans over 15 years with extensive expertise in applied research, project management, relationship management, NGO strategic management and corporate social investment. He previously held senior positions with The Safety Lab, South African Municipal Workers Union National Medical Scheme (SAMWUMED), Africa Centre, Paraffin Safety Association of Southern Africa (PASASA) and Regal Operational Services.

 Project lead on the Urban Safety Reference Group (USRG) convened by the South African Cities Network (SACN) and the GIZ-Inclusive Violence and Crime Prevention Programme (VCP) focusing on research and communicating the state of urban safety, violence and crime in South African Cities. The Urban Safety Reference Group consists of; Civilian Secretarial Police, SALGA, DCOG, DSD, Civilian Secretariat for Police, National Treasury and 8 Safety & Security City Managers. It’s a platform for peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing amongst practitioners from SACN member cities as well as other key national government role-players on urban safety and violence prevention.

The State of Urban Safety in SA Cities 2017 http://www.sacities.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/The-State_of_Urban_Safety_in_SA_Cities_2017_Report_WEB.pdf

 ·         Created 4 policy briefs: for the City Budget Forum (CBF), to inform city and national stakeholders of urban safety, the role of cities and challenges they face in fulfilling the safety function.

●More bang for the buck? Effective budgetary investments for crime prevention

●High time for policy rehabilitation. Local government and substance use problems

●Local government safety functions and the question of unfunded mandates

●Improving crime statistics for local government

  o   Researching and the Developing of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Design Models that will be drafted as Regulations for the Community Safety Act (3 of 2013) for the Western Cape Provincial Government. Research focus on Community Police Forums (CPFs) & Neighbourhood Watches in collaboration with Safety and Violence Initiative (SAVI) and Department of Community Safety. Promote the whole of society approach.

 

Researching the Illicit Economy of Cross-Border Migrants in Cape Town: Fraudulent Documents with Professor Theresa Alfaro-Velcamp, Department of History, Sonoma State University and Research Associate at UCT, Centre of Criminology
  

‘Getting angry with honest people’: The illicit market for immigrant ‘papers’ in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Awarded the National Research Fund Scholarship.
Previously he was contracted by Prof Mark Shaw on, “The Illicit Protection Economy of Cape Town”; conducting research in hard to reach, conflict affected, and crime ridden communities and fulfilled numerous roles that required engagement with key interlocutors in a diverse array of communities such as Delft, Khayelitsha, Langa, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Cape Town CBD in South Africa. 

Other roles his held are:

 o   Project Managing the Safe Sheebens inquiry for the Safety Lab. Investigated and reported on innovative practices and approaches that might reduce the harms associated with alcohol abuse in poor communities. 

Headed the Sales & Servicing Department for a self-administered medical aid scheme, South African Municipal Workers Union National Medical Scheme (SAMWUMED) operating within Local Government under the healthcare sector and governed by the Medical Scheme Act and the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC).
NGO management and operations for Hoops 4 Hope (H4H). Currently an Advisory Board Member. 
Project & Development Manager for the Africa Centre; an institution established to provide new arts & cultural voice in Africa through its multiple creative art projects.
Regional Programme Manager (Eastern, Western & Northern Cape) for the Paraffin Safety Association of Southern Africa. A NGO mandated by the Oil industry companies to implement strategies on the safe use of domestic energy sources.
Other roles: Design Indaba winners for the Urban Mosaic Project, Human Resource Management and Independent Researcher - creating the Economic Development Service Providers Directory for the Cape Metropolitan Region.

Community, Government: local, NGOs/CBOs, Research / Academia, Sport / Recreation

Monitoring & evaluation, Prevention concepts, Public spaces, Safety planning, Urban safety, Youth and violence

• Safety Governance (youth and gangs, migrant safety)
• Public Transport Safety 
• Urban Safety 
• Strategic Management & Planning
• Senior Researching (community safety & security)
• Project & Event Management
• CSI and Social Impact Amplifier 
• Relationship Management
• Socio Entrepreneurship
• Marketing - Business Management, 
• Human Resources, Relationship Management  &
• Lobbying and Advocating.

• Law in Action 
• Victimisation 
• Urban Safety 
• Urban Safety Governance for African Cities Executive Course