Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE’S drive to modernise the public service will succeed if the country develops a new calibre of public workers who are technologically competent, ethical and adaptable, Public Service Commission chairperson, Dr Vincent Hungwe, has said.
Addressing Solusi University students in a speech delivered on his behalf by PSC deputy chairperson, Dr Nomathemba Ndiweni, Dr Hungwe said more graduates were seeking employment as public servants at a time the commission was in the midst of a far-reaching transformation programme aimed at reshaping the way Government works.
He said the PSC was introducing advanced digital tools, reconfiguring institutional structures and embedding technology into daily public service operations.
Dr Hungwe warned that no amount of reform or digital innovation can replace capable human capital.
He stressed that technological reforms mean nothing without the right people to drive them.
“Even the most advanced systems and ambitious reforms can only deliver real impact when driven by capable, committed people. The true engine of national transformation is not technology or policy, but the character, competence and creativity of those who serve the public,” he said.
Dr Hungwe said universities such as Solusi are critical partners in producing the next crop of public sector leaders who can thrive in an era of rapid technological change.
“Institutions like Solusi University are the training grounds from which the next generation of public leaders will emerge. Public service ultimately rests on the calibre of the people who lead and implement it,” he said.
“They must remain grounded in ethical responsibility, stewardship and a commitment to public trust.”
Dr Hungwe said the PSC sees universities as “vital laboratories for national solutions” and urged students to research practical challenges in the public sector, from strengthening service delivery to tackling digital transformation barriers.
While engaging students, Dr Ndiweni said an increasing number of graduates is a reflection of interest in joining Government, with many registering their profile on the PSC’s Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS), the digital platform used to match applicants to future vacancies.
She said the PSC’s recruitment process remains guided by Treasury concurrence and merit-based selection, involving preliminary and final interviews to identify the most suitable applicants.
