Introductory Remarks by Prof Ss Sangweni: on the
Occasion of the Signing of the Public Service Pledge by the
Directors-General: 1 December 2005
The Public Service Commission, as you are aware, is mandated
by the Constitution to promote professional ethics in the
public service. In pursuance of this mandate, the Commission
has engaged itself on own accord and/or on request from
Cabinet, in a number of initiatives in the promotion of
professional ethics and the fight against corruption. In
doing so the Commission has formed part of strategic
partnerships that involve all sectors of our society. Indeed
some of the initiatives have come from the strategic
partnerships, like the National Anti-Corruption Forum which
is fast becoming a key role player in the combat and
prevention of corruption. It is of utmost importance that
there is visible commitment to engage with corruption in the
public service and promote a professional ethos.
We are therefore grateful that Directors-General of all
government departments deemed it fit to sign the Public
Service Pledge at a meeting of FOSAD as a mark of commitment
to leadership in leading the campaign for integrity in the
public service and service delivery to all our peoples.
The Public Service Pledge itself emanated from the
implementation of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption
Programme by the Anti-Corruption Co-ordinating Committee (ACCC).
The motivation is to galvanize public servants across the
country to pledge themselves to perform their tasks in the
public interest and to do this with integrity, creativity
and innovation.
It is perhaps appropriate to recall here one of the
resolutions adopted at the Second National Anti-Corruption
Summit held in March 2005 in Pretoria. The first resolution
adopted by the Summit under the : Ethics, Awareness and
Prevention Strategy is:
“To promote leadership in all sectors of society that is
committed to the creation of a culture of integrity and to
restore confidence in the fight against corruption.”
I would like to believe that the signing of the Pledge this
morning is indeed more than a symbolic creation of a culture
of integrity in our civil service community.
After the signing of the Pledge by the Directors-General
here today, it is of utmost importance that this commitment
be cascaded downwards to all officials. You are committing
yourselves to that task this morning.
It may be fortuitous that the “International Anti-Corruption
Day” will be celebrated on the 9th December 2005. It will be
appropriate for departments to use this annual event to
obtain the commitment of all staff members in line with the
Pledge. You can plan a launching event on that occasion for
the Department or the Province, where Heads of Department
can sign the pledge also.
Thank you once again to FOSAD for the opportunity afforded
us today for this signing ceremony. May the commitment of
today become a burning flame not only for the
Director’s-General gathered here today, but for all the
staff in the respective departments. Only then will we begin
to realize the principle of Batho Pele – putting the public
interest first!
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