1. As of the end of September 2022, the number of SMS members whose requisite qualifications are not reflected in the PERSAL has gone down to 2188 from 2349 in May 2022. This is due to the fact that most departments are now updating this data onto the PERSAL since the Director-General issued a Circular HRD0301 in this regard. The fact that it is not yet mandatory to reflect the qualifications in the PERSAL when SMS members are appointed, could be one of the reasons why the numbers may seems high in certain departments, although that may not be the case.
2. The issue of poor service delivery in the public service is multidimensional and systemic and therefore, cannot be attributed to the less than 25% of the SMS members without the required qualifications within a staff complement of 1,3 million public servants. Most of them have acquired lots of workplace experience and knowledge that is contributing to service delivery improvement. There are continuous development initiatives that are mandated for senior managers to remain relevant in their scope of practice, thereby improving service delivery.
3. The Public Service Commission (PSC) is currently investigating this issue and has written to the Acting Minister for the Public Service and Administration, requesting some additional information on the subject matter and the department have responded accordingly. The PSC findings will therefore provide a clearer picture in this regard.
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