Completing lifestyle audits for senior public servants, conducting skills audits and the establishment of a single register for disciplinary cases have been identified as critical areas for priority 1 and the professionalisation of the public sector.
This was revealed by Public Service and Administration Minister, Ms Noxolo Kiviet while tabling her Budget Vote Speech in Parliament on Tuesday 16 May 2023 in Cape Town.
“Given that we are reaching the end of implementing the current Medium-Term Strategic Framework (2019-2024), in this current year:
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- We are conducting a full skills audit throughout the public service, which will include qualifications, skills, competencies, and the correct location of skills
- Establishment of a single register for disciplinary cases and processes across all spheres of government as part of entrenching accountability and streamlining discipline as per the Honourable President’s response to the Zondo Commission reports; and
- Completing lifestyle audits for members of the Senior Management Service across the Public Service.
“These three areas are critical to priority 1 and the professionalisation of the public sector,” she said.
Minister Kiviet said 2024 marks 30 years of democracy and said: “In this regard, we are reflecting on the transformation role and agenda of the public service since 1994. Through this work, we will ascertain the current transformational capacity of public administration, and areas for intervention and determine the most appropriate interventions. South Africa is not the same when compared to 1994.”
During his 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa referred to a professional public service that is staffed by skilled, committed, and ethical people, which is “critical to an effective state, ending corruption, patronage and wastage”.
The Minister further announced that the DPSA is working with the Presidency, the Ministers of Communications and Digital Technologies and Finance to fast-track digitization, the rolling out of the future of work project, eGovernment and e-Services.
“Additionally, measures are being put in place to address the ageing public service by increasing youth representation through strengthening the graduate recruitment programme and enabling specialist skills recruitment.
“We have resolved on an integrated and partnership approach to collectively address these challenges that are largely due to a major trust deficit with the public as a result of ethical lapses, alleged maladministration and strained relations with organised labour,” she said.
Promoting Labour Peace
Minister Kiviet also apologised to South Africans for the inconvenience and pain inflicted upon most citizens during the public sector wage-related strike action.
She said: “Government working with organised labour, remains committed to collective bargaining to manage labour relations in the public service. We are currently working on the Minimum Service Level Agreements for essential services to ensure that South Africans can always access critical services even during strike action.”