The National School of Government (NSG) has launched an international learning exchange programme, taking South African public servants and elected representatives to China to study the country’s model of state modernisation and professionalisation. The programme, which runs from 7 to 27 May 2025, is hosted by the Academy for International Business Officials and supported by China’s Ministry of Commerce.
The focus of the programme is to explore China’s journey from a largely rural, agrarian society to a modern industrialised state—highlighting its achievement of eradicating absolute poverty by 2020, a full decade ahead of South Africa’s own target under the National Development Plan (NDP) and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
According to the NSG, this international engagement is part of its broader strategy to expose public sector leaders to global best practices and foster knowledge exchange aimed at improving governance and development outcomes. By studying China’s development path, South African officials can gain insights into building a capable and developmental state capable of inclusive growth, poverty alleviation, and institutional reform.
Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, congratulated the officials selected for the exchange, noting the importance of such initiatives. “State capacity is critical to achieving equitable and sustainable socio-economic transformation, and the Chinese experience offers valuable inspiration for Africa’s development,” he said.
He further emphasised that public sector innovation and strengthened institutions are key to transformation, with international exposure playing a role in building that capacity.
The exchange forms part of the NSG’s ongoing international cooperation efforts, aimed at enhancing public sector performance through strategic global partnerships. As a key institution under the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration, the NSG continues to support South Africa’s commitment to building a state that is people-centred, inclusive, and capable of delivering on national development goals.
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