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THE NSG CONTRIBUTION To Building a Professional, Effective and Functional Public Sector
If one were to ask any citizen what they expect from government, they would say all government services must be provided at the right time,pace, and quality always, verywhere. They want a functional, effective, and capable government that puts people first and is run by professional, ethical public servants.
A Framework for Professionalisation
The sixth administration, whose term ended in May 2024, championed and approved the National Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Sector. This is by far one of the most significant public administration reforms in our democratic era. The Framework is firmly entrenched in the constitutional values and principles of public administration, which require a development-oriented public administration promoting professional ethics, amongst other principles. The National Development Plan (NDP) sharpened professionalisation, stating that a developmental state needs to be capable. However, this can only come about if the public service is professionalised. The Framework thus responds to the NDP.
The NSG’s Role in Professionalising the Public Service
The National School of Government (NSG) is proud to have played an active role in developing the Framework and contributing to the implementation process. We believe that professionalisation is not about belonging to professional bodies, gaining knowledge and obtaining qualifications. Fundamentally, professionalisation begins with one’s conduct, values and behaviour. It is manifested in the way the public is served. An official is acting professionally if he or she is implementing the constitutional values and principles of public administration and the principles of Batho Pele, putting the people first in governance and in the delivery of services to the public. Ethical conduct also contributes towards this professionalised, meritocratic, ethical public sector that is sought and free of corruption.
Strengthening Governance and Ethics in Public Administration
To achieve such a professional public sector, public service officials need to continue to strive to improve leadership, governance, and accountability in the public service. They need to build a functional, efficient, and integrated government, with all spheres in tune and in touch, working together seamlessly to give the public a pleasant experience of government.The NSG is investing much effort in promoting an ethical public service.
A professional public sector is not just about qualifications - it is about ethical conduct, values, and putting people first.
The growing interest among public officials to do the Ethics in the Public Service course indicates that more and more public servants appreciate the need to build a capable developmental state and an ethical one. A public service where traffic officers do not ask for a “cold drink” from errant motorists, where officials at the ports of entry are patriotic and put the country first when processing immigration matters. A public sector where everyone works diligently and effectively to get the job done whether in governance or the frontline delivery of services.
The NSG’s Training and Development Programmes
The NSG is established under the provisions of the Public Service Act and the Public Administration Act to provide or facilitate education and training in public administration. The NSG curriculum offers education, training and development - from vocational and occupational training for public servants engaged in frontline and operational service delivery to courses and programmes for managers and executive leaders. The mandate of the NSG thus includes providing or facilitating education and training in the three spheres of government, legislatures, and organs of state, including state-owned enterprises. Thus, we are reaching out to the public sector to join us in building a professional, ethical, capable and developmental state.
Adapting to Political and Governance Changes
The outcome of the 2024 national and provincial elections led to the creation of a government of national unity and one of provincial unity in KwaZulu-Natal. This profoundly impacted the architecture and operating model at the provincial and national levels. The local government sphere has experienced coalition governments since 2016. This put pressure on the NSG to deepen and fast-track its transformation into an agile, responsive, and high-impact institution that can effectively respond to support departments and organs of state affected by political changes. This change in management and institutional support work must be seen within the bigger context of professionalising the public sector. A professional bureaucracy is not only technically competent but must also be able to navigate politics, interpret changing mandates, plan, and diligently execute as envisaged in Chapter 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996).
Partnerships for Capacity Building
The NSG is thus sharpening its approach to building state capacity by enhancing its programmes in leadership, economic governance, strategic leadership and oversight, management, and administrative and technical areas. The NSG works in partnership with higher education institutions locally and abroad. This is instrumental in raising learning and teaching standards and outcomes. We also partner with the private sector and civil society to take forward the goal of building a professional, well-functioning public sector.
The institution also appreciates the support it enjoys from experts in the private sector, former directors-general and chief executives of government institutions and leading academics and thought leaders worldwide, who contribute to the school’s training programmes and thought leadership sessions.
Moving Forward with the NSG’s Vision
As the NSG moves ahead in the current administration, it will continue harnessing partnerships with departments in the three spheres of government and institutions to build state capacity for a better-functioning public sector that puts the people's interests first.
For training needs and to explore what the NSG has to offer, visit our website on www.thensg.gov.za and also via our contact centre: contactcentre@thensg.gov.za for bookings.
