South Africa's PSC meets Mpumalanga regulator on new oversight act

A report says the Public Service Commission (PSC) held a meeting with the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER) while getting ready to take on wider oversight duties. Those duties come from the Public Service Commission Act, 2026, which the report describes as newly enacted. The law gives the commission formal authority over municipalities, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and other public bodies.

The meeting allowed the PSC to set out its mandate and to learn about the MER's operational environment and governance framework. The MER regulates sectors including betting and gambling, and the report said the meeting gave it information on the Act and on the PSC's oversight and advisory responsibilities.

According to the report, the talks dealt with core public sector values: ethical leadership and professionalism, good governance and accountability, and transparency. Another subject was how to put high ethical standards into practice throughout public administration. The report adds that the parties looked at ways to make decision-making transparent, to set out clear institutional responsibilities and to encourage openness so that the public trusts regulatory processes.

The report said the PSC is studying governance structures, institutional responsibilities and operational environments so that it can collect practical insights. These are meant to help it carry out its wider oversight mandate effectively. Practical steps for putting the Act into effect were also on the agenda, the report said. Among them were arrangements for the transition as the Act is rolled out, chances to work together and to build capacity, and a common view of what each institution is responsible for.

The report said the discussions laid the foundation for long-term cooperation between the PSC and the MER, with both bodies described as committed to institutional integrity, accountability and transparency. The source did not give a date for the meeting or any further steps or deadlines.