Development Of Senior Leadership In The South African Public Service For Accelerated Service Delivery

Abstract

The delivery of services is the primary function of the public service. All of the reform strategies of the post-apartheid dispensation have the goal of improving the delivery of services to all South Africans. The South African government recognizes that the needs of the poor and those that have been previously disadvantaged. However, the implementation of service delivery initiatives has not been without problems and challenges. The government has faced human resources, technical and process constraints. Senior management in the public service are also facing more demands in terms of their administrative role and the increasing politicisation of their policy role. Thus, current and future senior managers will face increasing challenges of fulfilling their administrative responsibilities vis-à-vis as required of legislation, and their role in an increasingly complex socio-economic and political environment. Senior management are required to be managers in their administrative capacity, but at the same time are required in their capacity to act as policy advisors. They are therefore over-extended to meet administrative and policy demands. Senior management are required to manage human and financial resources, and at the same time required to keep abreast of policy issues that affect their department and South Africa. The South African public service faces many developmental challenges. It therefore needs senior management who are also equipped with the necessary skills, to accelerate service delivery to the extent and pace that is needed in South Africa. Given the complex and demanding environment in which senior management function in the South Africa public service, it is important for them to build varied management and leadership skills in order to become more productive managers to meet the increasing demands of their position.