Abstract
Orientation: Structured leadership succession planning is vital for maintaining management continuity in healthcare; however, such frameworks are frequently absent within the South African public hospital sector.
Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and experiences of leadership succession planning for registered professional nurses in Mangaung district, Free State province.
Motivation for the study: Although structured leadership transitions are vital, succession planning within public healthcare sectors continues to be predominantly informal, ad hoc and detached from organisational policy.
Research approach/design and method: A qualitative research design was employed using in-depth unstructured interviews. Data were collected from 20 participants in Mangaung district and analysed using Braun and Clarke thematic analysis.
Main findings: The results revealed that leadership development is commonly perceived as a secret administrative task rather than a shared professional practice.
Practical/managerial implications: The findings support the need to consider succession planning that incorporates mentorship, knowledge transfer and effective communication, in line with the transformational leadership principles and best practices.
Contribution/value-add: This study highlighted that a clear policy-driven succession planning is essential to enhance human resource practices, foster nurse leadership and ensure the long-term success of public health system reforms in South Africa.