Cabinet approved policies key to the public service

Cabinet approved the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which will enable the country to step up the fight against fraud and corruption.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola told reporters after the virtual Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

“Cabinet approved the NACS which provides a nationwide intervention framework. The strategy is the culmination of a countrywide consultation with various sectors, including business, government, and civil society.

“The NACS Reference Group, comprising civil society, academia, business and government representatives, supported the compilation of this strategy,” he said.

The National Development Plan (NDP) is clear that fighting corruption should involve all members of the society and it further tasked the country to develop a NACS and supporting implementation plan. Fighting corruption in South Africa is one of the Government’s key priorities.

The NACS covers six pillars, which include promoting and encouraging active citizenry, whistle-blowing, integrity, and transparency; advancing the professionalization of employees, enhancing governance in institutions, and strengthening resourcing and coordination of performance and accountability.

The strategy also proposes an interim National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council as a structural arrangement to ensure greater monitoring, accountability, and transparency. This interim structure will commence a process to set up an independent overarching statutory structure that will report directly to Parliament.

Professionalization of the Public Service

Minister Lamola also announced that Cabinet also approved the publication of the draft national implementation framework towards the professionalization of the public service.  This is in line with the commitment made by the sixth administration to create a capable, ethical, and developmental public service.

He said the framework proposes five critical professionalization pillars, which will be led by the National School of Government (NSG), in partnership with various institutions of learning.

According to Minister Lamola, the five pillars include pre-entry recruitment and selection within the Public service; induction and onboarding; planning and performance management; continuous learning and professional development, and career progression and career incidents.

Policy proposals to amend the Public Service Administration Management Act (PAMA) of 2014 and Public Service Act of 1994

“Cabinet has also approved policy proposals that seek to amend the PAMA, 2014 (Act 11 of 2014) and the PSA, 1994 (Act 103 of 1994).

Among other things, Cabinet proposed a move towards a single Public Service, retention of the status of the NSG as a national department, and clarify the role of the Office of Health Standards Compliance in respect of mechanisms for the coordination of norms and standards in the public administration.

“The policy proposals for the PSA include clarifying the heads of department in the Office of the Premier and The Presidency, and also correct some of the issues occasioned by the court judgments,” Minister Lamola said.

The amendments are premised on furthering the Single Public Administration initiative and also give effect to the policy reforms envisaged in the NDP to build a professional public service.

The Minister said the Single Public Administration initiative is underpinned by the principle to ensure efficient, quality, collaborative and accountable service delivery.