Government has elevated professionalising the public service workforce as a key priority for state capacity, recommendingadequate training for priority technical skills, among others.
This was highlighted recently as Maropene Ramokgopa, minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation, detailed government’s focus areas in terms of the Medium-Term Development Plan 2024-2029, which is also the programme of action for the seventh administration.
South Africa’s public service accounts for 1.3 million of the country’s labour force, based on data from the Department of Public Service and Administration.
Despite there being many skilled and capable individuals within the public service, the state’s workforce is widely perceived as apathetic, overpaid and unable to deliver basic citizen services, with governance failures often creeping up.
Furthermore, recent data showed the government sector workforce lacks some of the technology skills essential for the fourth industrial revolution.
Back to basics
The National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, SA’s blueprint for national development, stresses that a capable, merit-based state is vital for socio-economic transformation.
For professionalising public service roles, government recommends implementing skills audits and competency assessments across the sector.
Additionally, enforcing merit-based recruitment at senior management levels, as well as increasing training budgets for priority technical and professional skills, including engineering, ICT and public finance, the minister noted.
Professor Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, executive dean at the Tshwane University of Technology’s faculty of humanities, says recommendations for public sector professionalisation have existed for decades and were part of post-apartheid reforms, but progress has been slow.
He explains that in the early 1990s, SA aimed for a non-partisan, merit-based, representative public service based on neutrality and fairness, which shaped Chapter 10 of the Constitution.
It took nearly two decades for these principles to become law, culminating in the 2014 Public Administration Management Act, which upholds constitutional values, he notes.
“The slow progress reflects a broader democratic challenge, as democracies often revert to patronage systems despite constitutional ideals. South Africa’s Constitution supports professionalism, but progress is hindered by lingering practices and legacies.
“A success in professionalising the administration of the state should be marked by making the public sector the career of choice, fostering technical and professional skills, and improving relations among government spheres to optimise state efficiency in delivering the public good,” says Maserumule.
Moira de Roche, vice-president of IFIP, past president and fellow at the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa, welcomes the recommendations.
However, she warns that while it looks good on paper, it is a huge undertaking. “There are a lot of parts which must be implemented and managed.”
De Roche indicates the recommendations signal that government realises that public service is not what it should be. “Citizens are let down by the poor quality of service. There is also disparity amongst professionals at the same level in terms of skills and competence.”
Continuous professional development should ensure officials are current with new processes and novel technologies, she adds.
Similarly, Mark Walker, director at T4i, says the move shows government has “finally recognised the importance of an apolitical, professional civil service that is composed of qualified, objective, pragmatic and performance-driven individuals”.
Metric for success
Walker adds that success of the recommendations must be underpinned by transparent, independent governance processes and strong performance and consequence management.
“Metrics and indicators should be based on desired socio-economic outcomes as described in various strategic policy documents, such as the NDP 2030, 2026 MTBPS, National Treasury Strategic plan 2025-30, etc. These outcomes should be cascaded to tactical levels and aligned to performance indicators related to project expenditures or completion of workplans.”
De Roche says a proper quality management system must be implemented. “Metrics for success would include how many professionals have ‘qualified’ (met the standard). Also, what are the repercussions for professionals who don’t meet the standards, requirements, or poor ethical behaviour.
“In a professional body, the member can be stripped of their professional status, which in some cases (engineering, for example), means they will not be able to gain employment in that sector. How will this be handled in the public sector? We know that it is close to impossible to dismiss an employee.
“The requirements and penalties for non-compliance must be written into employment contracts. Career progression should also be reviewed from time-to-time, and an examination of the requisite competencies should be undertaken before promotion.”
Given the huge undertaking of the recommendations, De Roche also advises that government do a pilot with one or two departments first. “I think an independent body must be formed to implement and manage this – perhaps made up of representatives from other SAQA-accredited professional bodies, as objectivity is crucial.
“Such a body would be responsible for setting up dashboards showing the metrics and hopefully use AI [artificial intelligence] to automate as far as possible.”
Maserumule concludes: “People often see professionalisation as just credentialism or recruitment, which can hinder progress. However, it involves genuinely embracing ethical principles of public service and dedicating ourselves to serving the public good in ways that meet citizens’ needs and respect their humanity. True professionalism is reflected in our attitudes, behaviours, tools and systems that support effective governance.”
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