News24 reports that the SA government is looking to increase the term lengths of directors-general (DGs) to 10 years, to improve stability and reduce political interference.

During his budget speech, acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi said the policy change was part of a framework to overhaul the public service. The high turnover of DGs has been cited as a reason for the proposed change, as acting DGs often fill positions for years. Two governance experts spoke about the impact of changing the term lengths of DGs, and what problems the change in policy might cause. University of Johannesburg's professor of political studies, Steven Friedman, noted that efficiency problems in the state were certainly not limited to the short terms of DGs. He queried whether DG appointments were political appointments or civil service appointments. He noted that if they were political appointment, “it didn't make sense to give DGs a 10-year contract as the next minister might want another DG.” However, increasing the term to 10 years might help a DG to refuse to act in an illegal or unethical manner at the minister's request. But, Friedman pointed out that even if 10-year contracts were offered to DGs, they might still decide to leave the department concerned sooner, which would not improve stability. North-West University's Afrocentric Governance of Public Affairs Research Director, Professor Costa Hofisi, said that, in his view, there was nothing wrong with the current terms of DGs. For him, what was critical was whether “government departments are going to improve their performance in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency in delivery." Hofisi said the policy change might also "encourage complacency" for DGs.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by James de Villiers at News24 (subscriber access only)

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