Public Service Act Regulations Amendment (Gazetted Oct 2023)

Summary

The Public Service Amendment Regulations, 2023, published in the Government Gazette, institute widespread revisions to the Public Service Regulations, 2016, with a strong focus on enhancing ethical governance and accountability. Significant updates mandate stricter financial disclosure requirements for senior staff and establish clear guidelines on employee conduct, including limits on the value of accepted gifts and stringent requirements to report any non-compliance. To enforce these standards, the amendments require departments to establish confidential systems for reporting and recording corruption allegations, mandating the appointment of designated Ethics Officers. The regulations also reform various Human Resources protocols, outlining new processes for post creation, remuneration setting, and selection procedures for filling vacant positions. Furthermore, the amendments substitute regulations concerning information management and formally establish the Government Information Technology Officers Council (GITOC) to oversee public sector IT strategy. Finally, changes are made to misconduct rules, including establishing a ten-year prohibition period for re-employment following financial misconduct.