Dlamini Zuma lays down rules for good governance

Speaking at the second annual Good Governance Conference in Pretoria on Tuesday, 11 October 2011, the minister said that accountability, transparency, consistency and good leadership were some of the essential elements required for good governance.

On the issue of accountability, Dlamini Zuma said public representatives and government were accountable to the electorate to ensure that the electoral mandates were delivered on.

"It means that when we are fortunate enough to be entrusted by the citizens of this country to be in positions of leadership, we must understand we are there to govern these institutions - public or private - on behalf of those who have elected us into these positions. We cannot therefore take these positions for granted, nor can we govern with impunity," she pointed out.

With regards to public funds, the minister said careful consideration was needed before entering into transactions.

"... Before we make acquisitions or buy services, we must always ask ourselves how this is going to assist us in fulfilling our mandate and whether it contributes to better services and a better life for our citizens. If you cannot find an answer, I suggest you abandon the consideration," she advised.

Dlamini Zuma called for strict adherence to the Public Finance Management Act, which aims to regulate financial management in national and provincial government.

Political parties needed to be "consistent" in the manner in which they go about getting votes and their actions after the votes are won, she added.

"We must also ensure there is consistency in leadership, especially in ensuring leadership is demonstrated through action rather than words."

The minister also recognised the importance of trust between a government and its citizens, saying it was a crucial element in the stability of a country.

She called on those in leadership to pay attention to the expectations of the electorate of find ways to meet them.

An excellent team of public servants and good leadership were needed in order for the State to follow good governance, Dlamini Zuma pointed out.

"Leadership should therefore begin with the type of officials we recruit of officials into the public service. This is very important because laws, systems and technology may assist with good governance, but it is the human resources that are critical to the implementation of policies and balances."

Apart from having appropriate qualifications, candidates recruited into public service should possess qualities such as patriotism, integrity, honesty, discipline, commitment, dedication, loyalty, dependability and adaptability.

"We must be wary of people who are just chasing better packages or who think that working for government means job security, medical aid and pension without hard work," she said.

The minister said a good leader should lead by example and motivate those around them.

"A good leader should be able to inspire the team. Assessments of how we are delivering on the mandate must occur constantly. We should use every failure or success as a lesson to educate the team, no matter how insignificant it may seem. We should also constantly appeal to each person's conscientiousness and honour," she said.