Executive support skills audit and training needs assessment report

This skills audit was conducted within the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to support the Department's commitment to developing a skilled and capable workforce. This initiative aligns with broader national directives, including the call in the State of the Nation Address to professionalize the public service to meet the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030. The primary objective of this skills audit is to assess the current skills profile of the Chief Directorate: Executive Support staff, identify key skills gaps and training needs relative to its mandate of providing strategic coordination and governance support to the Department's executive leadership, and provide recommendations for targeted skills development interventions. This audit focused on staff at the Middle Management Service (MMS) and Senior Management Service (SMS) levels. The data was collected using a survey administered via an online platform between December 2024 and March 2025. The participation rate was only 12% (5 out of 43 officials). This low response rate and very small sample size constitute a severe limitation; the findings are indicative of this small senior group only and cannot be generalized to the entire directorate. This executive summary presents the principal findings; the full report contains a more detailed and nuanced analysis.