The critical need for greater accountability in South Africa's public service

Imraan and Phetheni emphasise that accountability must become a human capital priority for the South African government to rebuild and sustain a functional public sector. Civil servants are meant to embody the Batho Pele principle, yet over time, the lack of accountability has rendered this ideal ineffective.

Referring to the Auditor-General’s 2022/2023 Annual Integrated Report, Imraan and Phetheni stress the importance of fostering a culture of performance, transparency, integrity, and accountability across the public service. The report highlights accountability as a cornerstone for delivering on the constitutional mandate, urging its integration across all disciplines.

Imraan and Phetheni argue that accountability should extend beyond routine reporting and investigations. Public servants and institutions must also justify their actions—or inactions. They underscore that effective human resource management is essential for public sector success, requiring collaboration among political leaders, line managers, and HR specialists, supported by strategic and general management. True accountability demands that public servants take responsibility for their actions and face consequences when commitments are not met. Also, they emphasise that there is a dire need to decriminalise internal workplace processes which is otherwise being run at a great expense to the fiscus. 

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