Public Service Commission Commissioner Michael Seloane says as the Commission they would like to awaken those who have assumed power in the new municipal councils and how they deliver services to the electorates.
“This is a call to arms, for the new councillors to facilitate municipal councillors that provide ethical leadership and provide leadership in balancing their oversight role and enabling managers to manage effectively and efficiently,” Seloane said.
Addressing the media in Pretoria on Tuesday, Seloane said a serious warning should go to the entire public service to rethink how it engages with the citizens, but most importantly to ensure that it is guided by the values and the principles governing public administration as highlighted in this article.
“It is a call to public servants and municipal workers to be loyal to the municipal governments they serve and to serve with integrity. It is a call to citizens to be vigilant and hold councillors accountable for service delivery,” Seloane said.
Seloane said the Public Service cannot expect its new recruits to have all the necessary skills, it must incorporate a vision of how public servants can develop their skills over the course of their career.
“The National Development Plan notes that the Public Service lacks a vision of how promising graduates who join in their mid-20s will become skilled and experienced public servants by their mid-30s.
“The Public Service has the responsibility to provide effective training and development programmes that provide public servants with the required skills and competencies to achieve their individual career aspirations as well as organisational objectives,” Seloane said.
Seloane said both the individual and organisation should be adaptable to the changing work environment brought about by, amongst others, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), diverse stakeholder needs and resource constraints.
“It is clear that technology plays a pivotal role in promoting access to information through websites and other digital platforms such as social media,” Seloane said.
Touching on a capable and a developmental state and lifestyle audit, Seloane said a capable state is the one that is efficient and prioritizes good human capital practices.
“A capable and developmental state will be delivered by public servants that have the requisite integrity and adequate skills within the public administration,” he said.
With regard to lifestyle audit, Seloane said the Minister of Public Service and Administration has approved a Guide on implementing lifestyle audits in the Public Service.
“The life audits in the Public Service will commence in February 2022,” he said.
According to Seloane, 42 Ethics Officers were trained in May on the risk-based verification of financial disclosures.
“The concept of lifestyle audits should be understood as reassuring that the living standards of public servants is congruent with their declared financial incomes.
“Part of ensuring that we do not become a failed state, we have the responsibility to ensure that public servants live according to their reported incomes,” Seloane said.
Source: South African Government News Agency