Acting Public Service and Administration Minister, Thulas Nxesi, says Cabinet has resolved that the tenure of Heads of Department be increased to 10 years.
This, according to Nxesi, will be subject to rigorous processes for recruitment, selection, training and development, performance management and reviews, and consequence management for non-compliance.
Addressing media in Cape Town on Monday during the release of Cabinet approved National Framework Towards the Implementation of the Professionalisation of the Public Sector, Nxesi said this is aimed at ensuring administrative stability in public sector institutions, which is critical to service delivery.
The framework provides that only qualified and competent individuals be appointed into positions of authority.
Cabinet approved the framework at its meeting of the 19 October 2022. The document has been in development for two years and on 18 November 2020 Cabinet approved the publication of the draft Framework for public consultation.
“This is part of overall efforts to improve the retention of HODs and create stability at the HOD level, with the objective of improving capacity of government to deliver on public services,” Nxesi said.
He said a revised performance management framework for HODs will be presented by the Minister of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) to Cabinet by end of November 2022. The MPSA will issue guidelines on the implementation of this decision.
Nxesi said with regard to the performance assessments of Directors-General and Heads of Department, Cabinet resolved that the Public Service Commission (PSC) should play a role in performance evaluation of all HODs to strengthen objectivity and introduce a comprehensive approach that should link the performance of the individual to that of the institution they lead.
Nxesi said to stabilise the political-administrative interface challenges experienced, Cabinet has resolved that the Director-General in the Presidency will be designated as Head of Public Administration (HOPA).
“In the provinces, this function will be designated to the Directors-General in the Office of the Premier.
“The HOPA will assist the President and Premiers in the management of career incidents of Heads of Departments and serve as a mediation mechanism in order to stabilise the political-administration interface,” Nxesi said.
Building state capacity towards a capable, ethical and developmental state remains the foremost priority of the current administration. Professionalising the public sector, as advocated in the National Development Plan, is a strategic intervention towards building state capacity.