The state of the public service
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2005
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HSRC Press
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
The transformation of the public service in South Africa is an all-encompassing project corresponding to the complexities of wider political and socio-economic change. Despite these complexities, there appear to be interrelated yet discernible dimensions in the post-apartheid evolution of the public service, which require comment. One dimension emphasises practical-administrative capacity for improving the processes of executing public policy. Another dimension emphasises historical-political factors of culture change, which forces a consideration of the normative basis of transformation itself, and the influence of such factors on evaluating the effectiveness of measures to enhance practical administrative capacity. It often appears that, in urgently responding to severe socio-economic disparities and deprivation, calls to strengthen practical-administrative capacity risk sterility in underplaying historical-political factors associated with wider public service transformation. This chapter follows from this observation, and debates the substance of practical administrative improvement in the public service, referred to in recent presidential ‘State of the Nation’ speeches, against the background of historical and political factors inherited from the pre-liberation period.
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Reference:
Naidoo, V. (2005). The state of the public service. In Daniel, J., Southall, R. & Lutchman, J. (eds.), State of the Nation: South Africa 2004-2005. Cape Town: HSRC Press. 112-134.