Report on Public Service Reform Towards Professionalisation: A Public Service Commission Perspective
01 March 2024
Introduction
Pivotal to the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) mandate is Section 196(4)(c) of the Constitution which empowers the PSC to propose measures to ensure
effective and efficient performance within the Public Service, and section 196(4)(b) which provides the PSC with the power to investigate, monitor and
evaluate the organisation and administration and personnel practices of the Public Service, the PSC has consistently argued that the realisation of the
fundamental rights in the Constitution and the peremptory adherence to the constitutional values and principles is one of the preconditions to public
administration reform.
In the current socio-economic context, there is no arguing that the capacity and capability of the State to produce and provide services is paramount.
In the event that the machinery of government fails to deliver on its Constitutional mandate, such will undermine the heart of democracy.
Guided by its mandate and concerns that some reforms in the Public Service have not been effective and others may have contributed to the poor state of
capacity and service delivery, the PSC deemed it opportune to conduct a study on public service reforms. The study reflects on several pre and post 1994
reforms and also considers the defining features of the current personnel administration reform initiatives within the context of the National Framework for
the Professionalisation of the Public Sector; as approved by Cabinet in 2022.
The PSC spent an extensive period consulting on the findings and recommendations of the report through various stakeholder engagements, including focus group
sessions that were attended by seasoned Public Administration scholars and practitioners and a Conference held on 12 October 2023.
The report encapsulates three (3) waves of reforms in a non-sequential manner and further highlights the pre-1994 public service, and also draws on experiences
from other countries. Whilst the research conducted considered the Professionalisation Framework as a current and future reform, it was not the only reform
considered. Various other reforms, such as the size of the Public Service and macro organisation of government, were considered to enrich the analysis and to
formulate informed recommendations.
The PSC's intention is to contribute to ongoing discussions and debates, as well as perspectives and decisions about future reforms. As such, the report provides
numerous recommendations on critical areas which are informed by previous and current Public Service reforms. The key issues addressed in the recommendations
include:
- The role of the Head of the Public Service;
- Appointment of Heads of Departments (HoDs) and levels below HODs;
- Human Resource Planning;
- Qualifications, Skills and Human Resource Development;
- The Performance Management and Development System;
- Professionalisation and the career system;
- The Senior Management Service;
- Agency and delegation of authority;
- Balancing governing by rules and governing by values; and
- Macro-organisation of government.
Conclusion
The report is an important contribution to discussions and debates about Public Service administration and reforms. The PSC is proud of the report and officially launched it today,
01 March 2024. The full report can be accessed on the PSC website (www.psc.gov.za) under 2024 Reports.
Enquiries: Mr Humphrey Ramafoko on 0827821730 or HumphreyR@opsc.gov.za
Issued by the Public Service Commission
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