Remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the farewell of Presidency Director-General Cassius Lubisi

Programme Director,
Colleagues,

And above all, the man of the moment, our Director-General, Dr Cassius Lubisi.

We are here to bid farewell to a consummate professional and exemplar of public servanthood. 

A man who has left such an indelible footprint on the office he has led, and for the overall contribution he has made to the development and professionalisation of the public service.

Had it not been for COVID-19 we would be having a big party in your honour DG.

We all know of DG Lubisi as a man of few words, but absolutely, consistently and indisputably a man of action.

I am making use of these words not as a charm offensive, but because they represent my truest impression of Dr Lubisi. 

He is truly a man for all seasons, having served in various capacities in all six administrations since democracy. 

To him, it did not matter which President or Deputy President occupied the Union Buildings; he was here to serve the people of South Africa.

Perhaps this is part of the broader discipline of a revolutionary bureaucrat who lived as a young adult through the Decade of Freedom, the 1980s. 

And who, in the theatre of struggle, rubbed shoulders with and imbibed political content from some of our most celebrated heroes such as “uMtomdala” Harry Gwala, Chris Hani and many others.

Those of us who have come to know Dr Lubisi intimately in the course of our work have always been in awe of the depth of his expertise on so many matters, from public administration, to history, to economics, and to culture and music. 

In one of his many iterations DG Lubisi was a university lecturer. He took very seriously his movement’s conceptualisation of education as a site of struggle and its call for the education for liberation.

That he obtained his PhD despite the challenges imposed on him by his active involvement in the reconstruction and development of our country is clearly indicative of his absolute commitment and dedication in everything he does. 

For nearly a decade, he has discharged his responsibilities here in the Presidency, the political and administrative centre of the state.

He has been our DG, our Cabinet Secretary, the Head of the Forum of South African Directors-General (FOSAD), the point of contact for the South African Customs Union (SACU) and the interface between our country and SADC, the AU, BRICS, G8, G77, UN and other intergovernmental organisations. 

In all these roles, Dr Lubisi served with absolute commitment and sheer diligence.

He also worked across Cabinet clusters in order to enhance our capacity as the Presidency to coordinate and guide the work of government.

The loss of Dr Lubisi to the public service is great indeed. 

And yet at the same time we are confident that the institutional integrity he has played such an important part in deepening over the years will remain.

DG, if there is one thing of which I am certain it is that you may be retiring formally but public service runs deep in your veins. I know we will be able to count on your counsel at any time. 

This bittersweet moment also gives us cause to reflect on the necessity of producing more skilled and revolutionary public servants like Dr Lubisi.

The term bureaucrat has in modern times come to be seen as almost pejorative; with all its inferences of a querulous, disinterested pen-pusher behind a desk. And yet the bureaucracy is the lynchpin of service delivery of any government.

As I said in my newsletter to the nation to mark Public Service Month, being a civil servant is the greatest of honours that carries immense responsibility. 

When civil servants are committed, when they are ethical and principled, when they understand the true meaning of public service, governments truly work for the people. And it is men and women like Dr Lubisi who set the standard.

We have said our priority is to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

But these are only words on paper unless matched by both resolve and determination to develop and professionalise the public service. 

The men and women who are the interface between government and the people must be capable, ethical and of the highest calibre. 

Both new entrants and those already in the ranks must be helped, supported and capacitated to fully carry out their duties. Those who are there for self-serving reasons or engaged in corrupt acts must be rooted out, and exited to make way for people who are loyal to this country and its people.

Dr Lubisi, it has been an honour to serve alongside you. I believe I speak for everyone here when I say you have been an exceptional leader and you will be most sorely missed.

And so we say fare well DG. You have indeed done your duty with honour and distinction, and served your country loyally, patriotically and faithfully.

We wish you well. We shall miss you. I shall miss you. 

I thank you.