Public Management Department celebrates Africa Public Service Day

The Department of Public Management at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) joined institutions across the continent in commemorating Africa Public Service Day on 23 June 2026. The annual observance recognises the contribution of public servants to good governance, service delivery, sustainable development and nation-building while highlighting the importance of ethical and capable leadership in Africa's public sector.

Dr Mogotsi Caiphus Maleka Africa Public Service Day was established following a resolution adopted by African Ministers responsible for Public and Civil Service in 1994. The day promotes the value and importance of public service to communities across the continent and celebrates the role public servants play in advancing development.

As a department dedicated to educating future public managers, administrators and leaders, the Department of Public Management recognises the critical role that capable, ethical and innovative public servants play in transforming societies and improving citizens' quality of life.

Public service remains central to governance and development. Public institutions deliver essential services, implement public policies, promote social justice and create conditions for economic growth and inclusive development. Whether serving in local government, provincial administrations, national departments, public entities or continental institutions, public servants contribute to the public good and help strengthen democratic governance.

This year's commemoration, themed Enhancing Public Sector Institutions and Empowering Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Achieve Universal Water Availability and Safe Sanitation by 2063, aligns with the African Union's focus on ensuring sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems as key drivers of development and human well-being. It emphasises the need for strong institutions, effective leadership, collaborative partnerships and innovative public administration to achieve Africa's long-term development goals.

For higher education institutions such as TUT, the theme highlights the importance of producing graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and ethical foundation needed to strengthen public institutions and contribute meaningfully to developmental governance.

Africa's history offers powerful examples of servant leadership and public service. Former President Nelson Mandela emphasised the importance of caring for others and placing communities at the centre of development. Former United Nations Smecretary-General Kofi Annan highlighted good governance as a key driver of development and poverty reduction. Founding President Julius Nyerere championed leadership as a responsibility that benefits those being led. Their messages continue to inspire ethical leadership and accountability in public administration.

TUT’s Department of Public Management is committed to advancing excellence in public governance through teaching, research, community engagement and professional development; hence, it strives to develop graduates who can address contemporary governance challenges and contribute to building capable, developmental and ethical states across Africa. By promoting scholarship in public administration and management, it supports the development of public servants who can lead transformation, drive innovation and improve service delivery across South Africa and the continent.

As part of the Africa Public Service Day commemoration, the Department of Public Management extended its appreciation to public servants whose dedication and professionalism contribute to the well-being of communities and the advancement of society.

The department also reaffirmed its commitment to the values of Ubuntu, integrity, accountability, ethical leadership and service excellence as essential pillars for building stronger institutions, deepening democratic governance and advancing the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

• Dr Mogotsi Caiphus Maleka is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Public Management at the Tshwane University of Technology. He has various publications to his name, which comprise articles in scholarly journals, and research papers in conference proceedings. He has presented more than 20 papers in national and international conferences. He is a member of South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) and the Academy of World Business, Marketing and Management Development. He is also one of the reviewers in the Journal of Public Administration. Furthermore, he supervises Master’s and Doctoral students, of which some have already completed.