Human Resource Challenges Confronting the Senior Management Service of the South African Public Service

Abstract

The Senior Management Service constitutes the supreme leadership cadre of the South African Public Service. It was established in 2001, and its aim and purpose being to lead and direct the service delivery transformatory agenda of the South African Government, within a developmental state paradigm. Driving the transformatory agenda is dependent upon a stable, reliable and competent Senior Management Service (SMS). However, the SMS is currently confronted with human resource challenges, such as staff capacity, strategic cross-cutting issues, and staff turnover. Regular summits lead by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) with civil society and labor union involvement, can effectively contribute to ensuring that human resource challenges are adequately dealt with.