President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a new mandatory recruitment process for public servants that ensures that they are qualified through competency tests.
Writing in his weekly letter to the public, Ramaphosa said that a bitter lesson earnt from the state capture era is how fragile the country’s public sector can be and that it needs to be strengthened.
As a result, he said that those seeking an appointment or promotion would need to complete compulsory courses with the National School of Government (NSG).
“Those who are newly appointed will not be allowed to assume duty until they have successfully completed induction programmes. Long-serving public servants will also have to undergo regular refresher training.”
Ramaphosa said that organs of state had been systematically weakened by undue political and corporate interference – further highlighting instances where individuals without necessary competence and experience were appointed to strategic positions so they could be manipulated by private interests.
We need to build a public service that is professional, ethical and driven by merit, stated the president.
“Building such a public service is one of the main aims of the National Framework towards Professionalisation of the Public Sector, which was made public last week.” He said that the framework is one of the most significant developments in public service reform since the advent of democracy
The finalisation of the Framework, which will be applied across all spheres of the public sector, said Ramaphosa, and lays down, among other things:
- Clear requirements for recruitment and selection processes;
- Mandatory induction for new public servants and performance management;
- Compulsory pre-entry course for middle and senior management officials, including ministers;
- Competency and integrity assessments within 90 days of an officials appointment;
- Merit-based appointment for board members;
- Special training for those who run SOEs and further professional development and registration through relevant statutory councils.
He said that those who are unfit or unwilling to serve the public should make way for those who are dedicated and capable.
The Framework will also help to reduce the undue pressure placed on Directors-General and CEOs of public entities to carry out unlawful instructions, break public procurement rules or favour certain private sector interests, as happened during the state capture era, said Ramaphosa.
In providing an example, Ramaphosa said that new contracts of Directors-General and Provincial Heads of Departments will immediately be guaranteed for five years, subject to meeting the requirements for the position and regular performance reviews.
Legislative and regulatory amendments are planned to increase their tenure to 10 years to stabilise administration.
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