15/06/2026
The Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) recently engaged the Ministry of Health leadership in a sensitization session aimed at fostering a culture of productivity, accountability, and merit-based career progression across government departments.
The session formed part of an ongoing national training rollout designed to ensure that promotions within the public service are driven by measurable performance rather than length of service. Speaking at the event, Head of the Performance Management Unit, Ms. Daisy Peloewetse, challenged supervisors to develop fair and effective evaluation tools that promote genuine employee growth and development.
She emphasized that individual performance must align with the ministry’s overall achievements. “It does not make sense for individuals to score high marks while the overall ministry performance is low,” Ms. Peloewetse said, urging civil servants to execute their mandates with speed, efficiency, and agility. She further stressed that non-performance constitutes a violation of the law.
Assistant Director; Performance & Management, Mr. Vuyo Mbulawa cautioned that failure to adhere to performance management frameworks undermines national development. He noted that persistent poor performance amounts to a direct violation of the Public Service Act.
He encouraged ministry leadership to strictly follow established performance management schedules, guidelines, and monitoring tools. “Performance reviews are vital. They establish clear objectives, enhance internal communication, and serve as an important mechanism for recognizing and motivating hardworking staff through structured feedback,” said Mr. Mbulawa.
Delegates welcomed the DPSM intervention, expressing optimism that it would address longstanding challenges, including cases where some officers declined to undergo formal performance reviews yet continued to bypass the system and secure promotions to senior positions.
Participants also urged the DPSM to reconsider its reliance on internal focal persons, many of whom are already burdened with core clinical or administrative responsibilities. Instead, they recommended the recruitment and deployment of dedicated full-time performance management specialists to independently drive the accountability agenda and strengthen performance management systems across ministries.
