Abstract:
The South African Public Service is the implementation agency of the South African
Government. Located at the apex is the Senior Management Service (SMS). As
leaders, role-models and pace-setters senior public service managers are required
to be transformation-based and vision-driven. To support and enable undertaking
of this task is the change management competency–one of eleven competencies
set out in the Public Service Handbook for the Senior Management Service. Each
competency has its own competency criteria, scale and aim. As is the case worldwide
this change management competency is bedevilled continuously by a complex
set of connected internal and external change forces. It is the view of the author
that a keen grasp and deep understanding of the paradigmatic view of change,
conceptual and theoretical perspectives of change, change constructs, factors
resisting and supporting change, change interventions as well as the role of change
agents and change leadership will enhance the change management competency of
South African senior public service managers.
