South Africa’s public service is entering a significant period of generational change. Many senior officials whose careers began during or shortly after the democratic transition of 1994 are approaching retirement, raising important questions about succession, institutional knowledge and the future leadership of the state.

The New South Institute, with the support of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, invites you to register for an online discussion of Retiring the 1994 Generation: The Senior Management Service, the third report in the Government in Numbers series.

The report will be published on 11 August 2026, ahead of the webinar.

Drawing on PERSAL data from 2009 to 2024, the forthcoming report examines the demographic profile of the Senior Management Service across the national public service and the health and education sectors. It considers the ageing of senior management, the limited pipeline of younger officials entering the SMS and the implications for public-service leadership.

The webinar will discuss what this generational transition means for leadership renewal, state capability, succession planning and the implementation of the Public Service Amendment Act, 2025. It will also consider how the coming period of retirements could provide an opportunity to establish a more professional, merit-based and institutionally autonomous public service.

Date: Thursday, 13 August 2026
Time: 12:00–13:00
Format: Online webinar

Discussants

Ivor Chipkin
Report author and Director, New South Institute

Christiaan Endres
Project Manager, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

Yoliswa Makhasi
Researcher, New South Institute

Vinothan Naidoo
Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

Policymakers, public servants, researchers, civil-society organisations and members of the public are invited to register.

Register for the webinar

For further information, contact the New South Institute at media@nsi.org.za or 078 547 4981.