Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023): Submission of Public Comment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)

A joint submission by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), the Ethics Institute (TEI), the Equality Collective, and the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) providing feedback on the Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023). While supporting the Bill's goal to enhance the independence of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the authors argue it fails to address the professionalisation of senior appointments and suggest several amendments to strengthen accountability and transparency.

• The submitting organizations support the Public Service Commission (PSC) Bill's objective to improve the independence and impartiality of the PSC and to expand its role regarding public entities and local government, though they advise that this expansion be managed through an incremental approach to match capacity.
• The authors identify a significant gap in the Bill: it does not empower the PSC to support selection processes for senior personnel, a reform recommended by the National Development Plan (NDP) and the 2022 Professionalisation Framework to prevent political interference and state capture.
• To address the gap in senior appointments, the submission proposes inserting a new section (e.g., Section 12A) that would allow the PSC to facilitate and administer recruitment and selection for the public administration upon application by the appointing authority or as required by law.
• The submission expresses concern over Section 6(1)(b), which makes the President responsible for authorizing remunerative work by Commissioners; the authors argue this creates "inappropriate political leverage" and suggest the decision should instead rest with a PSC standing sub-committee.
• The authors propose a new sub-section to Section 12 to mandate the prompt public release of finalized reports that reveal substantial legal contraventions or serious risks to public safety or the environment.
• The submission recommends changing the wording of Section 13(2) from "may report" to "must report" regarding the refusal or failure of executive authorities to report to the Commission, in order to ensure accountability and consequence management.
• The authors welcome the creation of a dedicated PSC Secretariat and the removal of political involvement in the appointment of its CEO, but they propose that the CEO, Deputy CEO, and CFO be prohibited from holding office in any political party during their tenure.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (2025). Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023): Submission of Public Comment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250916_PARI_TEI_PSAM_EC_Submission_NCOP_PSCBill_Sep25_v1.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023): Submission of Public Comment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). 2025. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250916_PARI_TEI_PSAM_EC_Submission_NCOP_PSCBill_Sep25_v1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023): Submission of Public Comment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) |date=12 September 2025 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250916_PARI_TEI_PSAM_EC_Submission_NCOP_PSCBill_Sep25_v1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{publicaffairsresearchinstitute2025public, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Public Service Commission Bill (B 30B-2023): Submission of Public Comment to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)}}, publisher = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250916_PARI_TEI_PSAM_EC_Submission_NCOP_PSCBill_Sep25_v1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }