Pretoria - Government is to pass a law that will give effect to a single public service, creating a uniform body of public servants throughout the three spheres of government.
Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu made the announcement on Monday during her breakfast meeting with academics in Johannesburg.
“That would mean in all, if this succeeds, a public service of some 1.6 million people the total population of Namibia, spread across 45 national departments, 207 odd provincial departments and 270 municipalities all requiring training.
“There is no clearer way than these figures to emphasise that the challenges of government are enormous as we seek to turn each one of our employees into a patriotic, professional public service,” Sisulu said.
Sisulu said from public service management perspective, universities’ Schools of Government must contribute to strengthening of the administrative capacity.
“The state administration and government are tasked to facilitate, where appropriate such public goods benefits through partnerships.
“I hope that by the end of this meeting you will all have collectively committed to work on strategies that will enable us to assist us with the enormous task at hand,” she said.
The former Defence Minister said collectively the nation have a responsibility to equip public servants to:
- Find the way through the complexity with a sense of moral purpose and commitment to public service;
- decide priorities taking into consideration the range of challenges, opportunities and resources available; and
- equip them with the necessary tools to do their work.
In 2009, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) took a policy decision that a School of Government would need to be established for the public service.
This view according to the minister was that together with the public and private sector institutions the nation can create, what is now been termed a cadre of government - skilled, professional, people oriented, committed, patriotic and adapt to provide the government with an engine to drive the modern state.
“I immediately complied with this policy decision; I have consequently appointed a Task Team of nine experts in the area, assisted by my advisers, Professors Daniel Plaatjies and Sipho Seepe and the Director-General of my Department, Professor Mollo.
“This engagement, I hope will serve as a consultation process with regard to our views and where we want to take the school of government.
“We stand ready to engage with yourselves about your views as practitioners and heads of institutions that we would like to partner with,” she said.
Minister Sisulu said the School of Government will be launched on 21 October later this year, based on a partnership with the academics. - SAnews.gov.za
