Public Service and Administration Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi delivered a forceful message at the launch of the 2025 Integrated Public Service Month (IPSM) mediocrity will not be tolerated in the public sector.
Speaking at the Pretoria event, Buthelezi emphasized the urgent need to professionalize the public service. “Mediocrity has no place in this vision,” he declared, promising transparency about progress, candidness about setbacks, and visible engagement across communities. He added, “Every citizen must feel the tangible difference of a responsive and ethical state.”
To ensure accountability, the minister announced that government officials—including the president, deputy president, cabinet ministers, and senior staff—would conduct unannounced oversight visits to service delivery hotspots. These field inspections aim to inform planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. Buthelezi reminded public servants they are “there to serve, not to be served,” and urged them to embody a renewed ethos of professionalism and pride.
Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana characterized the IPSM launch as more than symbolic. Reflecting on the 2025 theme—“Professionalising the Public Service to build trust and restore confidence in government”—she posed a critical question: “Can citizens trust the government to listen, respond and deliver?”
She noted that IPSM has been repositioned as a year-round programme in alignment with South Africa’s Medium-Term Development Plan (2024–2029). Key initiatives include an Executive Service Delivery Blitz, Public Service Charter Dialogues, leadership and mentorship training for junior officials, and intensified community engagement to raise awareness of citizens’ rights. Through these measures, the government hopes to build an ethical, citizen-centred public service capable of both immediate response and long-term reform.
