The SAAPAM 23rd Annual Conference in Rustenburg brought together important leaders and thinkers to discuss South Africa’s growth since the end of apartheid. Deputy Minister Seiso Mohai emphasized the need for ethical leadership, active citizenship, and better strategies for creating jobs and reducing poverty. The conference focused on planning for the future, including a new MediumTerm Development Plan aimed at improving education, healthcare, and safety. Mohai encouraged everyone to collaborate and innovate, reminding them that this gathering was about building a brighter future for all South Africans.
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in Cape Town is transforming public administration by providing practical work experience and highquality education to its beneficiaries. The partnership between the City of Cape Town, the UWC School of Government, and the New Hope Training Organisation is creating a more inclusive and accessible public administration system, and the first group of EPWP beneficiaries recently graduated with an NQF7 level qualification in Public Administration. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, and the graduates have been instilled with guiding principles such as democratic accountability, social equity, and ethical conduct. The accessible registration process and promising future outlook of the EPWP symbolize a monumental shift in efforts towards creating a more inclusive and accessible public administration system.
The City Ombudsman Office in Cape Town is undergoing a transformation and will reveal its new look at the Khayelitsha Shopping Mall on March 8, 2024. The office is a grievance redressal institution that strives to uphold citizens’ rights and maintain the integrity of public administration. The office’s rejuvenation is driven by Vusumzi Magwebu, the City Ombudsman, who aims to make the office a symbol of justice, a protector of public faith, and a reflection of democratic ideologies. However, the office’s mandate is limited to certain types of complaints and does not investigate issues such as alleged fraud or corruption.
Exciting news! On February 27, 2024, the National Assembly approved three important bills to improve governance, public administration, and data management in South Africa. The Public Service Amendment Bill proposes a decentralized approach to public administration, while the Public Administration Management Amendment Bill focuses on fairness in collective bargaining. The Statistics Amendment Bill seeks to improve data gathering and establish a unified platform for statistical data and analysis. These bills will now go to the National Council of Provinces for approval. Public engagement plays a crucial role in the parliamentary process, and citizens can interact with the process in various ways.
The official’s arrest highlights the need for enhanced transparency and accountability in public service, and the fight against corruption requires a collaborative approach between law enforcement agencies and public participation. A corrupt official from the Home Affairs department in Upington was arrested in January 2024 due to alleged corruption. The South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial AntiCorruption Investigating Unit (ACIU) conducted a thorough investigation, revealing a scheme of illegal identity document processing for foreigners without proper documentation.