South Africa’s public service: new laws aim to put competent people in charge and hold them to account
South Africa has enacted new legislation, including the Public Service Commission Act, to improve governance and accountability within its public sector. These reforms aim to professionalize the administration and address systemic corruption and inefficiency.
Why it matters
These legal changes represent a significant effort to stabilize South African public institutions and restore public trust in government services.
Pensioners wait in line to collect their state pension in South Africa. Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images South Africa’s public service: new laws aim to put competent people in charge and hold them to account Published: September 30, 2026 9:26am EDT https://theconversation.com/south-africas-public-service-new-laws-aim-to-put-competent-people-in-charge-and-hold-them-to-account-292376 https://theconversation.com/south-africas-public-service-new-laws-aim-to-put-competent-people-in-charge-and-hold-them-to-account-292376 Link copied Share article Share article
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South Africa has been on a decades-long journey of reforming its public service. But serious problems persist.
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