{"id":5138,"date":"2025-06-19T23:24:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T23:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ijssass.com\/journal\/building-a-capable-state-unpacking-critical-skills-development-challenges-in-the-public-sector\/"},"modified":"2025-06-20T03:19:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T03:19:10","slug":"building-a-capable-state-unpacking-critical-skills-development-challenges-in-the-public-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ijssass.com\/journal\/building-a-capable-state-unpacking-critical-skills-development-challenges-in-the-public-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Capable State: Unpacking Critical Skills Development Challenges in the Public Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This article was originally published as: <strong>Building a Capable State: Unpacking Critical Skills Development Challenges in the Public Sector<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Original Article Link: <a href='https:\/\/journals.dut.ac.za\/index.php\/ajims\/article\/view\/936' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Read Original Article<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Download PDF: <a href='https:\/\/journals.dut.ac.za\/index.php\/ajims\/article\/view\/936\/754' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Click Here to Download PDF<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Abstract<\/h2>\n<p>Whilst the active repositioning of the role of South Africa\u2019s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has been a key thrust of governments response to slow economic growth, not enough attention has been given to exploring the challenges of building the capability of public services. More specifically, there has been insufficient scholarly focus that critically unpacks the nature and extent of skills development and human resource challenges facing management in SOEs. In order to fill this gap, this paper reports on the findings of a study undertaken at Transnet Capital Projects (TCP), a former project execution wing of Transnet SOE. Data collected from 191 respondents, in a survey of TCP project management teams, revealed that whilst the technical service providers contracted to deliver on mega-projects possessed the requisite skills, experience, and expertise, Transnet project\u2019s personnel had limited experience and exposure to execute high value mega-projects. Moreover, the study highlighted low levels of management retention, with the high turn-over rates alluding to systemic internal challenges. These findings, nearly ten years since the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) intent on professionalising the public service, is worrisome and points to a need for an urgent intervention if the vision of building a developmental state is to be realised.<\/p>\n<h2>Authors<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Rajen Chetty (Transnet, South Africa)<\/li>\n<li>Sogendren Mogambary Moodley (Durban University of Technology, South Africa)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Keywords<\/h2>\n<p>capable state, skills development, state-owned enterprises, project management<\/p>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<p>References not available for this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article was originally published as: Building a Capable State: Unpacking Critical Skills Development Challenges in the Public Sector Original&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124],"tags":[2153,1873,1875,1874,1552],"class_list":["post-5138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-ajims","tag-capable-state","tag-project-management","tag-skills-development","tag-state-owned-enterprises","wpcat-124-id"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - 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