NSI to Ramaphosa: Sign the Bill and usher in SA’s "Third Transition"

Key topics:.NSI urges Cyril Ramaphosa to sign Public Service Amendment Bill Bill aims to end cadre deployment and depoliticise the civil service NSI calls reforms a potential “third transition” for South Africa.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..BizNews Reporter.The New South Institute (NSI) has issued a pointed call to President Cyril Ramaphosa: stop delaying and sign the Public Service Amendment Bill into law. In a press statement released on 15 January 2026, the think tank described the legislation as the catalyst for a "third transition" in South Africa’s democratic history—one that could finally decouple the civil service from political interference.For years, the South African business community and civil society have watched the steady erosion of state capacity, often blamed on the blurring of lines between political office-bearers and administrative functionaries. The NSI argues that this Bill, which was finally processed by Parliament in the last quarter of 2025, is the legislative fix the country has been waiting for.Ivor Chipkin, Director of the NSI, frames the potential enactment of this Bill as a moment of historical significance, comparable to 1994 and 1996. “Signing the Public Service Amendment Bill into law will initiate a third transition in South Africa,” Chipkin said. “The country became a democracy in 1994 and a constitutional state in 1996. The passing of the bill will start a transition towards a relatively autonomous, professional public administration, the foundation of a prosperous and effective state”.The legislation is not merely bureaucratic housekeeping. If enacted, it promises to strictly clarify the boundaries between politicians and the administration, a move essential for curbing the excesses of cadre deployment. It also seeks to institutionalise merit, professionalism, and ethical conduct within the public service while strengthening oversight and accountability.The NSI’s "Sign the Public Service Amendment Bill, Mr President" campaign contends that the groundwork has been laid by committed senior officials and academics over the last five years. With the legislative process complete, the only remaining hurdle is presidential assent. The Institute is urging the Presidency to act swiftly to ensure the reforms can be implemented in the coming financial year.For a state grappling with a crisis of confidence, this legislation offers a concrete framework to restore trust. As the NSI puts it: “The Bill is ready. The moment is right”. The ball is now squarely in the President's court..Read the NSI's statement in full below

NSI to Ramaphosa: Sign the Bill and usher in SA’s "Third Transition"

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