Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature involves community on Public Service Commission Bill
According to the Legislature, the bill will strengthen oversight across all spheres of government.
The Oversight Committee on Legislature and the premier’s office held a public hearing on the Public Service Commission Bill [B30-2023] at the Sand River Community Hall on Friday.
In her welcoming remarks, committee chairperson Trudie Grové-Morgan emphasised the importance of public involvement in the law-making process.
Committee member Life Monini outlined the purpose of the public hearing and the legislature’s role in line with its constitutional mandate.
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He urged participants to focus on the bill when making their submissions, as their input is crucial to moving the process forward.
Public service commissioner Bheki Zulu said the bill’s implementation will help promote good governance while recognising the independence of each stakeholder.
He concluded by saying the bill is a Section 76 bill that requires concurrence from a majority of provinces.
As a result, the committee is conducting public hearings and has appealed for support so that it can be successfully promulgated into law.
Public Service Commission Advocate Shukrat Makunde outlined the clauses of the bill in detail. She noted that it had received cabinet approval, and she referred to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2023 State of the Nation Address in which he said: “We need a state that is capable and competent, underpinned by a professional public service. South Africans want a state that treats all people with dignity, humility and respect. A state with leaders who are prepared to serve our people with complete dedication, and public servants who are ethical, skilled and properly qualified.”
It was further emphasised that the bill will strengthen oversight across all spheres of government, enabling the commission to perform its functions without fear or favour, as its current mandate limits intensive oversight in some areas.
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The public hearings continued in Nkangala District in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality on Tuesday. The bill is available on the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature’s website. Written comments may be submitted via email to marilyn@mpuleg.gov.za or WhatsApp on 067 428 3345 on or before February 27.
