The Framework to Professionalise the Public Service is being unpacked in the context of the National Development Plan (NDP) at a two-day retreat currently underway in Muldersdrift, west of Johannesburg.
The retreat kicked off with a keynote address by Public Service and Administration Minister, Ms Noxolo Kiviet.
The roadmap to the professionalisation framework will form centre stage at the retreat on the national framework towards the professionalisation of the public service.
The framework is in line with the commitment made by the sixth administration to create a capable, ethical, and developmental public service.
It is South Africans who will benefit from the proper implementation of the professionalisation framework, as they will be served by skilled, effective, efficient, ethical, and professional public servants committed to improving the well-being of society.
Building a meritocratic and corruption-free public service capable of building social compacts and managing resources prudently is a national effort requiring all hands-on deck.
The Professionalisation framework that seeks to ensure that public servants have the right qualifications, technical skills and be properly inducted into the Batho Pele principles was approved by Cabinet last year.
The framework aims to achieve the following:
- The tightening of pre-entry requirements as well as effective recruitment and selection processes that inform meritocratic appointments at middle and senior management levels.
Undertaking workplace orientation and induction programmes that promote a healthy organisational culture. - Effective planning, performance management and appraisal systems, including performance standards and assessment instruments for different categories of employees.
- Performance management can also be aligned with professional body or association registration.
- Public servants undertaking continuous learning and professional development. This will include, as well, the professionalisation of certain categories of occupations in the public sector.
- Managing the career progression and career incidents of public servants and heads of department. Conditions of appointment of Directors-General and Heads of Departments.
The Retreat started with an opening and welcome address by the chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Professor Somadoda Fikeni, The Principal of the National School of Government, Mr Busani Ngcaweni who will be focusing on the roadmap to the professionalisation framework, Commissioner of the National Planning Commission, Professor, Mashupye Maserumule.
In the afternoon, DPSA Director-General, Ms Yoliswa Makhasi will speak about key legislative, and policy required to implement the professionalisation framework.
The first day of the retreat will wrap up with a panel discussion moderated by Dr Ayodele Odusola from the United Nations Development Programme with the topic: what are the central challenges in South African public sector and how should the professionalisation framework be implemented to address these challenges.
