The New South Institute will host a webinar on public service reform in Africa to mark the 11th Continental Africa Public Service Day.

Observed alongside the 2026 United Nations Public Service Day theme, “Transforming Public Institutions: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion,” the webinar will consider the role of public institutions in supporting democratic governance, state capability and service delivery. 

Public service reform remains a central issue for governments across the continent. In South Africa, debates about public administration often focus on questions of professionalisation, political-administrative relations, institutional performance and the capacity of the state to deliver. These challenges are not unique. Countries across Africa are confronting similar pressures, while reforms in places such as Rwanda, Ghana, Zambia and Nigeria offer useful points of comparison.

The discussion will examine emerging trends in public service reform, the opportunities and constraints facing governments, and the implications of these developments for democratic governance and public administration across Africa.

The webinar will bring together Rorisang Lekalake, Director of Analysis at Afrobarometer; Ivor Chipkin, Director of the New South Institute; and Jacob Nato, Policy Analyst at the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis.

Speakers

Rorisang Lekalake
Director of Analysis, Afrobarometer

Ivor Chipkin
Director, New South Institute

Jacob Nato
Policy Analyst, Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis

Event details
Date: Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Time: 14:00 SAST
Format: Online webinar
Registration: Required

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