'Super civil servant' mooted

THE National Planning Commission (NPC) wants the appointment of a "super civil servant", with powers to hold directors-general accountable, and to stop ministers from interfering in administrative matters.

This proposal is contained in the NPC's blueprint for national development, which was released by commission chairman Trevor Manuel on Friday.

According to the document: "A senior public servant could be assigned as head of the public service in his or her capacity as head of an existing government department, most likely the Department of Public Service and Administration or the Presidency, with other heads of other departments reporting to this official on organisational and administrative matters."

The commission also called for a centralised, independent body to decide on the awarding of large state tenders in an effort to prevent corruption. And, following a drop of more than 10% in the rate of whistle-blowing over the past four years, the NPC suggested that informants be given more protection.

The document calls for ministers to be barred from meddling in matters such as staff recruitment, and said the practice of "cadre deployment" had compromised standards in the public service.