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PRETORIA – President Cyril Ramaphosa said Monday that being a public servant is not about comfort, but about making a difference as the country prepares for Public Service Month in September.
The month is to promote a culture of pride and ethics in the public sector and improve all services.
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Ramaphosa has dismissed the idea that public service is bloated in his weekly letter.
“The view that public service is inflated is misplaced. Public servants include officials and administrators, but they also include doctors, nurses, police officers, and teachers who play an invaluable role in keeping the wheels of our country rolling.
“The real problem is whether, given the size, cost and needs of our country, the public service is working as it should. The experience of our people is that in several areas, the state is not meeting expectations.
“There are some fundamental problems that we are working to solve.”
He has called on public servants to take advantage of the National School of Government if they are promoted to a higher position.
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The president also said that he hoped public service would become a career destination for professionals.
“Being a public servant is an honor and a privilege. It requires dedication, selflessness, professionalism, commitment and the utmost fidelity to the principles of Batho Pele, of putting people first.
“Public servants are entrusted with the management of state resources for the benefit of the citizenry and their protection against their misuse and abuse. They are representatives of a government derived from the people and for the people, and they are guardians of our Constitution.
“At a time when we are facing a series of scandals that point to a clear complicity of certain public servants in acts of corruption, this Public Service Month should be an opportunity for the men and women in charge of this important responsibility stand out – rededicate yourself to your calling and fully understand what it really means to be a servant of the people. “
