Developing Leadership and Adopting an African Leadership model for the Improvement of Public Services in South Africa

Abstract

The South African public sector is reeling from the barrage of new initiatives with respect to the government’s transformation agenda, and from a plethora of targets that need to be achieved in the public sector. With the demands from communities for improved service delivery, it is highly unlikely that the South African Government will relax the performance pressures it exerts on public sector organisations. Not surprisingly, leadership sits firmly at the core of this transformation agenda. However, the Government has repeatedly expressed concerns as to the lack of the effectiveness of leadership development initiatives on good governance practices and service delivery outcomes. There is little shared understanding amongst management of the qualities required for effective leadership in the South African public sector. Furthermore, leadership theory is driven by conflicting interpretations. However, fundamental to improved leadership is a clearer shared understanding of what leadership behaviours, approaches and models work in delivering public services. Many leadership development initiatives based on Western Leadership models have been undertaken by the South African government, but there is little evidence so far as to their effectiveness. This paper provides an overview of service delivery in South Africa; the critical need for effective leadership to improve service delivery by the South African public sector, and an overview of leadership approaches and models. The paper also points to why a particular model of African leadership is suggested in relation to the South African public sector; specifically, its validity with respect to the impact on factors that affect employee performance and thus service delivery outcomes.