National Agencies

Policy implementation, programme delivery and regulatory work in South Africa’s public sector are mostly carried out by national agencies. These are publicly funded bodies, commissions, state-owned enterprises or authorities whose establishment is backed by an Act of Parliament. Many of them exist as semi-autonomous organisations where the running of their day-to-day affairs is free from government interference. Key national agencies in the country include the Financial Services Board, which oversees the South African non-banking financial services industry; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, an organisation that received worldwide attention for its efforts in reconciling communities in the aftermath of apartheid; the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), which is the telecoms and broadcasting regulator; and the South African Social Security Agency, which administers social security services in the country.