Greetings to all South Africans,
Esteemed colleagues in government, Dedicated public servants,
Community leaders, and Members of the media
Good morning
Today marks not just another entry in the government calendar.
It is a day that marks a significant milestone in our national journey to rebuild public trust, to strengthen institutions, and professionalize the public service.
Public service is the heartbeat of government and a bridge between policy and the living realities of our people. Public service is the oxygen of [our] democracy and when it falters, our people suffocate.
Likewise, when it rises to its full potential, our nation thrives.
A candid reflection is that confidence in the state of our public service has been tested. Our people are calling out, sometimes in frustration and sometimes in despair for reliable services, for ethical leadership and for visible change.
We have witnessed corruption where there should have been integrity. We have seen inefficiency where there should have been excellence and we have encountered complacency where there should have been urgency.
The launch of the Integrated Public Service Month (IPSM) 2025 is not a ceremonial event but a strategic call to action especially in the current era where the voices of the citizens are amplified through multiple platforms.
With social media platforms taking lead by exposing shortcomings in real time, and the lens of accountability sharper than ever, public service and public servants must match our people’s urgency with speed, agility and accountability.
For far too long, our people have endured the indignity of long queues, broken promises, and crumbling infrastructure. This must end now.
IPSM 2025 is therefore our turning point. It is a contract between government and citizens to deliver services that dignify, empower, and uplift - especially the most vulnerable in our society.
Fellow South Africans,
Before connecting local to continental vision, we need to be clear in outlining that IPSM is not an isolated initiative. It is South Africa’s practical expression of the values championed by the African Public Service Day (APSD).
Just over a month ago, Africa celebrated the 10th edition of APSD, a moment that reminded us of our shared responsibility as a continent to build accountable, professional and citizen-centered public services.
Therefore IPSM 2025 grounds that continental vision
firmly in South Africa’s reality.
As directed by Cabinet in August 2024, the 2025-2026 IPSM Implementation Framework marks a decisive shift as it is no longer a once-off event but now a year-round platform for reform and the improvement of service delivery.
This framework is guided by five core strategic outcomes that are:
1. Increased Executive visibility and responsiveness.
2. Demonstrated professionalism and ethical conduct.
3. Trusted and effective complaints and compliments systems.
4. Citizen and stakeholder co-creation of solutions, as well as the,
5. Improved and integrated access to public services.
These are not patronizing words. They are deliverables and the new yardstick by which the public will judge us.
And our commitment to this is professionalizing the public service and that - is non-negotiable because it is a constitutional and developmental imperative.
We will build a workforce that is defined by competence, ethics and accountability as mediocrity has no place in this vision.
Another commitment we place is rebuilding trust while knowing fully that trust will not be restored by words but by action. We will be transparent about progress, honest about setbacks and be visible in our communities.
Every citizen must feel the tangible difference of a responsive and ethical state.
We will also hold ourselves accountable through clear indicators like improved service satisfaction, reduced corruption and strengthened ethics as well as increased citizen engagement.
These indicators will be our compass.
To drive these outcomes, IPSM 2025 will roll out the following flagship interventions aligned with the IPSM Framework:
1. Executive Site Visits and Feedback Loops:
Members of the Executive which are Ministers, led by both the President and Deputy President, and senior officials will conduct unannounced oversight visits in priority districts where services are failing, to unblock bottlenecks. These visits will inform planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.
2. Public Service Charter Dialogues and Ethics Engagements:
Citizens and officials will co-design service standards and your voice will directly shape the contract.
3. The Batho Pele Excellence Awards:
We will celebrate and recognize public service individuals and departments that exemplify professionalism, responsiveness, and innovation in service delivery.
4. Integrated Outreach:
By bringing services closer to communities through the District Development Model, from grants to IDs from clinics to health, etc.
Today’s media briefing is not just about announcements - it is about transparency and accountability.
I therefore wish to send a reminder to all our public servants - that we are here to serve and not to be served. We are the face of a new public service - one that is professional, ethical and responsive. And we must carry this responsibility with pride.
To fellow citizens - we say your voice matters. We therefore invite you to engage with us, to hold us accountable and partner with us in shaping solutions.
To the media colleagues - track our progress, expose our failures and amplify the stories of transformation.
To our partners - join us in a holistic society approach to restoring dignity through service.
As I conclude, I wish to express that this is more than a launch but a beginning of a new covenant between government and the people.
We stand here today to say the time for excuses is over, the time for service is now - and the time for trust to be rebuilt has come.
Together, let us make the South African public service a source of national pride.
Together let us serve, rise and build.
Thank you!
#ServiceDelivery
