Public service reform in South Africa : an overview of selected case studies from 1994-2004

Abstract

The research explores the concerns, challenges and successes of the Government of South Africa’s efforts to transform the Public Service to be representative of the South African society. Some of the efforts include inter alia developing policy initiatives to obtain an environment conducive to change in the human resource management of the public sector from an apartheid based system that created a fragmented public service, to a Public Service which now reflects the demands of the South African society void of racism, gender discrimination and associated peculiarities. The dissertation used a case study approach. Information was gathered from authoritative literacy sources. This was supplemented by empirical research that relied heavily on official publications and data in the Ministry of Public Service and Administration and across the various South African Government infrastructures. The main conclusion of the research indicates that major transformation through policy initiatives had been achieved. However, as far as implementation is concerned, much work is still required.