Abstract
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Public administration reform and transformation implies an outcome of an efficient public service which is vital to a well-functioning country that maximises its developmental potential and the welfare of its citizens. Change and reform in the public sector is not a new phenomenon but these reforms have tended to focus on bureaucratic efficiency and results. In many respects the pursuit of the bureaucratic perfection, where it succeeded, meant that government information management kept information more or less closed in, restructuring made different government units work in silos, and in general the government bureaucracy remained highly hierarchical. Public sector reforms in especially developing countries, despite many resources being spent on the reform programmes, did not make significant improvements. This was complicated by global experiences and most lately phenomenon such as the 4th Industrial Revolution, globalization and the Covid-19 pandemic. South Africa is no exception and although having been a democracy for 26 years, does the country remain a highly unequal society especially taking cognisance of the recent recorded cases of corruption and service protests on local government level. The outcome of these activities is that trust in government deteriorated.
In Africa and specifically South Africa the public service is unfortunately rapidly gaining a reputation for inefficiency and incompetence as governmental institutions routinely receive qualified audits, thereby undermining, rather than maximising, the developmental potential of the country. The situation has been complicated by various factors such as the notion of decentralization, associated with reform and transformation and seen as an approach that will enhance the quality and the effectiveness of public administration. To counter the situation, certain innovative activities, seen as a solution to user-led demand for better services, coordination problems, increasing effectiveness and broader societal challenges, are mooted. These do not necessarily imply the implementation of new technological advancements but the reforms need to look at the context of inter alia how work is been done in the public sector, the openness in terms of participation of citizens and the role of the private sector.
From the government’s side an array of legislative and organizational measures were put in place to rectify the situation eg the ‘District Development Model’ in 2019 and the National Development Plan 2030. The focus should, however, be on mechanisms to minimize or prevent corrupt activities taking place and make recommendations regarding prerequisites for an effective decentralized system of governance which will ensure financially viable government. These actions will not only attract cooperation from citizens to the agreed policies and programmes of government, but also to ensure that stability, peace and development can be attained. In this paper, these aspects will be addressed to ensure that international lessons are shared to benchmark best practices in respect of innovative governance in the public sector.
Regarding the research method, a literature study of appropriate primary sources containing authoritative publications, books, journals, the internet and official documents such as departmental policies will be conducted to gather information, while the field operations include interviews with practitioners and academics in the field of public administration and management.
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