The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has issued volume 1 of the Directive aimed at providing guidance on how to roll-out the implementation of the framework to professionalise the public service.

DPSA’s Director-General, Ms Yoliswa Makhasi said volume 1 of the Directive on Human Resources Management and Development for public service professionalisation marks a step towards enhancing the efficacy, integrity, and accountability of the public service.

“The Directive amongst others provides guidance to the Public Service in how to rollout the implementation of the Professionalisation Framework as part of major reforms to improve productivity and efficiencies especially considering the financial limitations that if not addressed may affect the accessibility of quality public services.

“An emphasis is placed on the pursuit of strategic practices in human resources management and development, including in recruitment and selection, performance management, ethics, integrity, and leadership and innovation.

“The Directive transforms the public service into a continuous learning and professional development environment,” she said.

As a result of a collaborative effort between the DPSA and the Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA), the Director-General said the Directive also directly responds to the PPSA own investigation which sought to address youth development and employment in the public service.

This, she said will be done through:

  • Waiving the requirement for experience for entry level posts on salary level 1-6 where there are no supervisory responsibilities attached to the posts.
  • Clarifies that all posts advertised in the Public Service should include an email facility to make provision for the submission of applications via emails; and
  • Enables departments to confirm qualifications through verified academic records from higher education institutions where applicants have not been granted possession of their certificates due to student debt still owed.

This is in line with the President Cyril Ramaphosa SONA’s commitment to remove barriers to entry into the job market faced by the youth.

Through the Minister for the Public Service and Administration approved Directive, departments will be able to fulfil the Constitutional imperative of addressing the injustices of the past, while promoting the realisation of socio-economic rights of South Africans.

The DPSA acknowledges the contributions of organised labour, the Presidency, the Public Protector, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the National School of Government (NSG), the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG-SA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), which have been and continue to be critical to the professionalisation of the public service.

“The support received from all parties involved further validate the importance of the reforms as contained in the Directive which is critical to the building of a highly skilled and capable workforce that delivers high-quality services whilst fostering trust and confidence in government institutions.

“We are confident that this Directive will play a crucial role in shaping a professional and efficient public service that meets the needs and expectations of South Africans” said Ms Makhasi.