Pretoria: Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi has launched the Integrated Public Service Month (IPSM), emphasizing that professionalizing the public service is an essential constitutional and developmental goal that must be prioritized. “We will build a workforce that is defined by competence, ethics, and accountability as mediocrity has no place in this vision,” Buthelezi stated at the media launch of the IPSM in Pretoria.
According to South African Government News Agency, Buthelezi underscored the importance of transparency and honesty in achieving this vision, promising to be visible in communities and accountable for progress and setbacks. The Minister stressed that citizens should experience a tangible difference from a responsive and ethical state, with clear indicators such as improved service satisfaction, reduced corruption, strengthened ethics, and increased citizen engagement.
As part of the IPSM initiative, top government officials, including Ministers, the President, and the Deputy President, will perform unannounced oversight visits to priority districts to address service delivery bottlenecks. These visits aim to inform planning, budgeting, and resource allocation, reinforcing the commitment to serve the public effectively.
Public Service and Administration Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana highlighted that the IPSM launch is not just ceremonial but a commitment to prioritize South Africans in government actions. She emphasized the theme, “Professionalising the Public Service to Build Trust and Restore Confidence in Government,” as a crucial question regarding citizens’ trust in their government to respond and deliver effectively.
Kekana noted that the IPSM has evolved into a year-round platform for action and reform, aligned with the Medium-Term Development Plan (2024-2029), urging public servants to maintain professionalism and ethics. The goal is to transform the government-citizen relationship through sustainable, accountable, and efficient service delivery.
Key IPSM 2025 initiatives include an Executive Service Delivery Blitz and Public Service Charter Dialogues, empowering citizens to influence service standards. Buthelezi acknowledged the past challenges faced by citizens, such as long queues and broken promises, and declared the launch a strategic call to action to address these issues and uplift the most vulnerable in society.
The IPSM is presented as South Africa’s practical embodiment of the values championed by the African Public Service Day (APSD), marking a shift from a once-off event to a continuous platform for reform and service delivery improvement, as directed by the Cabinet in August 2024.