Public service: A new era for collaboration

IN WINDHOEK, delegates from ten SADC member states gathered for the SADC Public Service Commissions (PSCs) Forum, marking a pivotal moment for statecraft in the region.

- SESONA MDLOKOVANA

This forum, with participation from nations such as South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius, underscores a pressing dedication to redefine the core of public administration across Southern Africa.

The consensus is clear: the existing bureaucratic framework, characterised by inefficiency, patronage, and stagnation, must evolve into a contemporary, ethical, and development-oriented public service.

Professor Somadoda Fikeni, chairperson of South Africa’s Public Service Commission, has articulated a bold and much-needed vision for a “new type of public servant”.

This re-imagining calls for public servants to be more than mere functionaries; they must be active drivers of social transformation, characterised by their ethical conduct, technical proficiency, social consciousness, and development-oriented approach. This visionary perspective is long overdue.

Uneven public service delivery persists across the SADC region, marked by corruption, politicisation, a lack of accountability, and insufficient investment in human capital.

Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reveals that seven of the ten forum-participating countries score below 50 out of 100, signifying severe systemic governance challenges.

For instance, public trust in Zimbabwe's government services remains critically low due to widespread mismanagement, particularly in vital sectors like health and education. Conversely, Mauritius, with a score of 53, exemplifies how ethical governance and a commitment to public service excellence can foster stability and sustainable growth.