Let the implementation games begin
Professionalisation of the South African public sector is crucial for the country’s economic development and government effectiveness. As one of the most reputable and well-established professions in the country, the accountancy and finance sector has a responsibility and capability to support government’s professionalisation endeavours. With its focus on the public interest and the social and economic relevance objectives, the profession is stepping up to support professionalisation efforts in the public sector.
Professionalism in the public sector
The public sector is a vital part of the country’s infrastructure and economy, and its efficiency and effectiveness directly affect the well-being of citizens. Corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of professionalism hinder government’s ability to serve the public effectively. The chartered accountancy profession, with its emphasis on ethics, integrity, and professionalism, has the potential to play a significant role in addressing some of these issues and improving the public sector. The South African Constitution and the National Development Plan: Vision 2030 support the need for public administration to maintain a high level of professionalism. However, the state of professionalism within the public sector is a concern, with projects such as Batho Pele, having taken a back seat, making professional service within the sector a rare occurrence that is often celebrated on social media and amongst friends and family. Because this is not the norm.
The drive to professionalise
There has been much talk about efforts towards professionalisation of the public sector throughout the world. Professionalising the public sector is one of the key imperatives for building state capacity. Like many global counterparts, South Africans struggle with issues of professionalism and professionalisation of state employees and operations. In 2022, the South African government approved and issued the National Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service, an ambitious step toward a professional, ethical, competent, and capable state. The framework covers five pillars in the value chain for the professionalisation of the public sector and specifies that those aspiring to work in the finance or supply chain management (SCM) environment further should have accounting, economics, and finance as part of the curriculum in their field of study and that preferable qualification as a chartered accountant.
The implementation of the framework cannot come sooner. There are now a number of initiatives and proposed reforms geared towards implementation of the framework, which President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned in his State of the Nation (SONA) and opening of parliament speeches in 2024. A directive was issued during February 2024 to guide departments towards implementation of the framework by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).
Despite the existence of the policy framework underpinning professionalism in the South African public sector, the challenge of unprofessional behaviour, as attested to in the number of corruption cases, is a cause for major concern. Currently, the public sector is fighting unethical conduct within its ranks, with millions of rands lost through state capture and unfettered spending. Citizens are becoming weary of government and patience is wearing out, as evidenced by service delivery protests, and changing voting patterns.
Focusing on public finance management
Skilled individuals such as chartered accountants in the public sector would drive the implementation of much-needed public financial management reforms that require skilled, competent, and capable professionals. In addition to employing and retaining talented professionals, the sector must implement innovative capacity building initiatives for the incumbents, so they are not left behind. The professionalisation of the workforce is one of the most important aspects and will include robust learning and development strategies. Ideally, government should put strategies in place to become the employer of choice for the country’s top talent. After all, the work of government is arguably more complex than any other sector and should indeed be tackled by the best people the country has to offer.
Organisations like the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) compete with private sector employers to attract top accountancy talent. Like the AGSA’s remarkable strides over the years, government needs to improve the number of skilled and suitably qualified persons in public finance management roles.
Professionalisation, however, requires government to strategise beyond getting the professional in the door, and includes considerations such as career paths, the environment and continued professional development. The finance leadership team should drive accountability and transparency, while collaborating through a government-wide strategy to increase the effectiveness of financial management, maintain control over government spending, revenues, and borrowing, and achieve long-term sustainable economic growth.
A key part of professionalisation is an unambiguous commitment to ethical conduct. Chartered accountants work with the public interest in mind, which provides a basis for their professional ethical responsibilities. With ethical conduct at the centre of the professional qualification, starting early in the professional development process. Consequence management and the rigour of the process is consistently tested, where some members do not live up to the high standards of ethical conduct expected from them. The existence of such processes is critical in professionalising public finance management, and ensuring ethical conduct by those responsible for transparency, accountability and governance activities around the public purse.
Professionalisation of public finance management would lead to more effective and data driven policy and decision making. This would be a major step in the right direction and shift the culture of decisions and service delivery in South Africa.
Singapore’s approach to public sector professionalisation
Singapore’s public sector is often considered among the best that the world has to offer. Integrated and expert service, creative service, proactive and personalised citizen service, quick and decisive action, public satisfaction and acceptance and a clear aspiration to create a better life for citizens – these are some of the characteristics that define Singapore’s public service. Even though it may not be a utopia, but Singapore and other countries are getting things right. As expected, there is no magic to professionalisation, but South Africa may need some magic to solve the ‘implementation paralysis’ that continues to plague the country and has even seen some good policies shelved or go to waste.
