The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has urged all stakeholders to monitor the implementation of the Public Service Commission Bill once it becomes law, as it believes the “Government of National Unity cannot be trusted”.

The National Assembly passed the Public Service Commission Bill during Tuesday's plenary session, and it will now be submitted to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.

The Bill aims to regulate the Public Service Commission (PSC) and enhance its independence by establishing a secretariat to support its operations.

The MKP views the Bill as a “a pivotal step” to reinforce the independence, accountability, and professionalisation of the country's public service.

MKP national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said his party would hold the Government of National Unity (GNU) to account and ensure the Bill became the “necessary intervention” in the fight against corruption, cadre deployment and inefficiencies that undermined service delivery.

Ndhlela said the party’s oversight would see to a “transformed, transparent, and competent” public administration, which served the people of South Africa in line with unwavering values of Ubuntu/Batho Pele.

He said his party would sure, “with vigilance”, that the GNU established a secretariat to enhance the PSC's impartiality and autonomy, and that the Bill ensured skilled and qualified leadership through stringent criteria for commissioner appointments.

He added that the party would conduct expanded oversight, including of municipalities and public entities under the PSC's mandate, to strengthen accountability.

Meanwhile, in hunting down public service "ghosts", the members of the Public Service and Administration Portfolio Committee will next week conduct oversight visits in Gauteng and North West.

Committee chairperson Jan de Villiers explained the committee would engage with provincial government and other national departments on their strategies, scope and progress in conducting ghost employee audits throughout the State.

He said the committee will also prioritise all other provinces.

De Villiers explained that the existence of these public service ghost employees, created wastage in the public service wage bill and should be investigated.

“Ghost employees also works directly against the this government’s efforts to establish a professional, merit-based and independent public service,” he said.

He noted that the committee sought to hold a joint sitting with the Standing Committee on Finance, for a briefing by Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana and the Treasury, on the strategy, scope and progress of ghost audits throughout the State.

It also wants a special committee sitting with the PSC and the Department of Public Service and Administration to understand their current strategy, scope and progress in conducting ghost audits throughout government departments.