It is correct that priority attention, both inside and outside government, is being paid to the implementation of Chapter 13 of the 15-chapter, 484-page National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. Entitled ‘Building a capable and developmental State’, the section focuses on the development of a public service that is proficient, professional and responsive – attributes not typically associated with South African public-sector officials.

That’s not to say that the issues dealt with in other chapters – which range from responding to the country’s changing demographic trends, through to dealing with debilitating crime and violence levels, as well as the country’s serious educational and infrastructure backlogs – are not equally important.

However, there is little question that progressive improvements in the capability of civil servants will have major cross-cutting spin-offs – benefits that will be felt across just about every area of concern dealt with by the NDP. In other words, prioritising the building of a capable State could have high-impact results.

What’s more, particularly in the context of limited fiscal resources for new initiatives, the issue meets another current implementation objective: making progress in areas where the injection of major additional financial resources is not required.

Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has been tasked with crafting the reforms required and has indicated that an office of standards and compliance may be set up to oversee the conduct of civil servants. She has also indicated that public officials could, in future, be barred from being involved in private companies – a relationship blamed for facilitating corrupt practices.

Minister in The Presidency responsible for the National Planning Commission Trevor Manuel has followed up Sisulu’s statements with the argument that there needs to be consequences for individuals who flaunt the rules and/or fail to do their jobs.

But the NDP goes even further. It calls for a professional public service that is insulated from political patronage. That does not necessarily mean that politicians will have no say over who their senior officials should be. Rather, a model is proposed whereby a strengthened Public Service Commission convenes selection panels to provide shortlists of suitable candidates. It also suggests devolution of authority for administrative matters from the political principal to heads of department.

Other areas of focus include skills development and capacity building, making the civil service a career of choice and moving towards longer-term contracts for heads of department to help build institutional capacity and memory.

In a context where more needs to be done with fewer resources, it is well past time for the diligent implementation of laws, policies and systems that makes waste, inefficiency and corruption as abhorrent within the civil service as it is loathed externally.