With intense scrutiny being focused on SA’s bloated, cadre-stuffed public service, the country’s leading public administration academic warns against the danger of over-reacting. While agreeing with critics Rob Hersov and RW Johnson that there are public servants appointed for ideological reasons, Prof Erwin Schwella says it is critical that SA does not follow the Trump/Musk example. Ejecting the core of this country’s dedicated State employees would threaten the collapse of the bureaucracy, with horrendous consequences. He spoke to BizNews founder Alec Hogg.
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South Africa’s public sector has long been under scrutiny for its size, inefficiency, and alleged misuse for political gain. With the African National Congress (ANC) government proposing a VAT hike to sustain the public service wage bill, the debate over the country’s bureaucratic structure has intensified. Some, like R.W. Johnson and Rob Hersov, argue for a drastic reduction of public servants to cut state expenditure, while others, including renowned public administration expert Professor Erwin Schwella, advocate for a more balanced and pragmatic approach.
The public sector’s fundamental dilemma
Schwella, an Emeritus Professor at Stellenbosch University and a respected authority in governance, offers a nuanced perspective. While acknowledging that South Africa’s public service is excessively large, he attributes this to a longstanding political strategy rather than an inherent failure of public administration.
“Our public service is bloated for political reasons, not for professional public service reasons,” Schwella explains. “For years, the government has used public sector jobs as a means to secure political support. During pre-election and post-election periods, state employment has been leveraged to maintain loyalty, often at the expense of efficiency.”
This approach, he notes, has created a bureaucratic structure filled with individuals who owe their positions more to political allegiance than to professional merit. The result? A system where loyalty often trumps competence, hampering the very efficiency that a strong public service should uphold.
Inefficiency and patronage: The cost of loyalty-based promotion
One of the starkest criticisms of South Africa’s public service is its top-heavy structure, particularly within critical sectors like policing and the military. Schwella highlights a striking example: “We now have close to 400 police generals, an overinflated senior leadership, while the operational workforce struggles with basic resources. This is mirrored in the National Defence Force, which has become, as some critics put it, ‘a magnificent navy on land, an air force grounded, and an infantry nowhere to be found.’”
Such inefficiencies, he argues, are largely due to cadre deployment, a policy that prioritizes political loyalty over merit. “There’s been an inflation of senior positions. Professional, well-qualified public servants often get sidelined because they are not ‘loyal enough.’ This is a systemic issue that stifles professionalization and fosters mediocrity.”
Read more: Rob Hersov – Budget debacle more proof SA needs business-type turnaround. Urgently.
The need for a balanced approach
Despite these criticisms, Schwella warns against falling into the trap of wholesale bureaucrat-bashing. While the public sector has significant inefficiencies, he emphasizes that many dedicated public servants continue to serve with integrity despite the political pressures.
“We cannot have good governance without an effective, professional, and ethical public administration. Bureaucracy, when functioning well, is essential for stability. Countries fail when their institutions fail,” he notes, referencing Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu’s work on the link between institutional strength and national success.
Rather than gutting the public service, Schwella argues for a more strategic restructuring that balances efficiency with ethical governance. “Socialist systems tend to be good at distributing resources but inefficient at creating them, while capitalist systems are excellent at creating wealth but often fall short in equitable distribution. South Africa needs a hybrid model—one that fosters both creation and ethical sharing of public value.”
A new era under the Government of National Unity?
With South Africa now under a Government of National Unity (GNU), the question arises: Will the public service see meaningful reform? Schwella believes the GNU provides an opportunity for improvement but cautions against premature optimism.
“The GNU can lead to changes, but let’s not be naive—there is also an element of political co-optation at play. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which was previously adamant about taking cadre deployment to court, has softened its stance since entering the GNU. There’s a fine line between necessary compromise and becoming part of the problem.”
He also stresses that public sector reform must go beyond mere rhetoric. “Public service is a noble ideal. We should build on its best traditions rather than dismantle the entire system. Section 195 of our Constitution outlines the fundamental principles for a competent public service—effectiveness, ethics, professionalism, and accountability. These should be the guiding pillars of reform.”
The road ahead: Reform or stagnation?
Schwella urges South Africans to approach the issue pragmatically. While calls for slashing public service jobs may be politically expedient, they ignore the reality that a state cannot function without a professional civil service. Instead, efforts should be directed at reducing political interference, curbing patronage, and fostering a culture of competence and integrity.
“We cannot simply ‘get rid’ of the public service. The question is not whether we have one, but whether we make it effective. Good governance depends on professionalizing the public sector, not dismantling it.”
As South Africa navigates the complexities of coalition politics, public service reform will be a litmus test for the GNU’s commitment to real change. Will the country seize this opportunity to rebuild its institutions on merit and efficiency, or will political expediency continue to erode governance? The answer will shape South Africa’s future for years to come.
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