Public policy and Batho Pele in South Africa : time to turn over a new leaf

Abstract

This paper is concerned to show that seminal public policy principles have sometimes failed to translate into improved customer service in South Africa and to discover why this should be so. After discussing various dimensions of public policy formulation and implementation, the article cites instances whereby service levels are seen to be compromised by poor execution of policy. It is submitted that inappropriate criteria for the recruitment of office bearers, and a worrying tendency to fail to distinguish adequately between public and private goods, have contributed to degraded levels of customer service which violate the spirit of Batho Pele. It is concluded that government needs to 'walk the talk' with respect to Batho Pele by ridding its administration of officials who have shown themselves to be either incompetent or corrupt.