Abstract:
The major challenge is that despite intense endeavours directed at improving
public service delivery, lack of, or mediocre delivery continues to plague South
African communities. Within the growing literature on public service delivery
in South Africa (SA), it has become evident that the root causes of many service
delivery problems are critical shortages of upcoming leaders, lack of appropriate
leadership skills, underperformance, and the adoption of inappropriate leadership
approaches, with no or little consideration to local needs and context. These
factors have affected the leaders’ ability to ensure that policy should lead to
expected outcomes. This article explores leadership approaches adopted in SA’s
public service departments and highlights the reasons for its inability to promote
effective service delivery outcomes. It explores which leadership approaches tend
to be associated with effective organisational performance and service delivery
outcomes. It suggests the adoption of an appropriate leadership approach that
is relevant to the SA public service needs and context. Given the needs of the
SA public service, it is argued that no single leadership approach would be
appropriate in addressing the diverse needs of SA communities. This leadership
approach suggested entails a combination of appropriate multiple leadership
approaches that are critical in improving service delivery in the South African
public service.
