JOHANNESBURG - Weakness in public service can cripple service delivery and allow corruption to thrive.
That’s the warning from Public Service Commission Chairperson Somadoda Fikeni.
He said even the best government policies mean little without a strong public service to implement them.
Fikeni was speaking as the Commission welcomed its expanded powers under the new PSC Act.
“Throughout the world, in every state, there is no important institution than public service because that's the primary provider of services across the world. When it falters, even the quality of that state or the quality of democracy fails. Even if leaders have these grand visions, we have grand policies, we have grand plans.
“If the institution of public service and public administration in general is weak, it leads to governance failures. It leads to poor service delivery. It allows for crime and corruption to thrive. It makes investment difficult. Economy doesn't grow. It makes the country vulnerable to the world because the close to one point nine million public servants are the ones on the ground."