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On 30 May, The Presidency hosted the Roundtable on Strengthening the Political-Administrative Interface, bringing together leaders from government, business, labour, civil society, and academia. The event provided a platform for reflection on the findings of a synthesis evaluation report conducted by the Developmental, Capable, and Ethical State (DCES) division of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), on state capacity with a special focus on Directors-General and Heads of Department.

As part of its commitment to strengthening evidence-based policy-making, The Presidency together with SDGi commissioned the synthesis evaluation aimed at deepening the understanding of the political-administrative interface. This work was undertaken in collaboration with the National School of Government (NSG), bridging academic insight with practical policy needs, in line with one of the priorities of the previous and current administration – building a capable, ethical and developmental state.

Some of the key findings that participants engaged in include:

• The negative impact of high turnover among Directors-General and Heads of Department on policy continuity and morale
• How political interference in administrative decisions across government and state-owned enterprises (particularly in appointments, procurement, and financial management) breeds instability and uncertainty
• Prioritising skills development for leadership
• How the public service’s performance management systems and legal frameworks overlook long-term collaboration and innovation by incentivising short-term, siloed compliance

The Roundtable signals the commitment to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16, “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.  

SDGi provided both financial and administrative support for the development of the report, which is not yet publicly available.

For the full news clip from SABC, click here: https://youtu.be/mHCT3kLm-VA?si=Hc3aotk-ysl2eEtn

Last week, the SDG Initiative (SDGi) brought together its partners and stakeholders for its Meeting of Partners in Rosebank, Johannesburg. This gathering provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our progress over the past year, identify new workstreams, and outline actionable steps for the year ahead.

The meeting kicked off with updates from partners, who shared insights into their respective activities, organisational developments, and key achievements. This session highlighted the diverse efforts at work, both visible and behind the scenes, in advancing our collective goals.

The National School of Government (NSG) also graced the meeting with its presence. Dr. Johnny Pietersen delivered an insightful presentation that sparked engaging discussions among participants. He guided partners through the NSG’s mandate, offerings, and network, providing a deeper understanding of its role within the public sector. The SDGi looks forward to further strengthening the partnership with NSG in the coming year.

With the initiative approaching the final year of its first phase, partners took the opportunity to set concrete milestones and goals for the remainder of the initiative.

A key highlight of the meeting was the launch of the SDGi website – a digital culmination of the objectives, people, and ongoing work.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated partners: The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, the Albert Luthuli Leadership Institute, University of Pretoria, Policy Innovation Lab at Stellenbosch University and African Monitor for their invaluable contributions throughout 2024.

Together, we are making strides toward a sustainable future.