Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021562 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie and Dino Poonsamy The National School of Government Busani Ngcaweni Wits School of Governance Abstract The National School of Government (NSG) is a government training academy that offers training interventions directly or through partnerships with local and international higher education institutions. The NSG's programmes are aligned with public sector policy frameworks and national priorities and respond to the learning needs of public serv- ants and public sector institutions. Historically, most of these programmes have been offered through face-to-face training in a classroom situation, with a limited number delivered online. This standard delivery approach was drastically tested in 2020, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cabinet declared a National State of Disaster in March 2020, forcing the country into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus, which suspended face-to-face classes. Given that the NSG is only partially funded by government, it relies heavily on fees charged to students and/ or their departments for its financial sur- vival. This financial crisis worsened when its limited budget allocation was severely cut at least twice in one financial year by National Treasury. Unfortunately, none of the relief funds made available to support businesses that lost revenue due to COVID- 19 were extended to the NSG. In this article, we evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of the NSG and discuss how the institution had to reposition itself and innovate to remain a going concern and a pre- mier government training academy. The new strategic direction involves embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and online e-learning, which in turn means organisational redesign and staff reorientation and training. This innovation also includes redesigning courses and other bespoke programmes for online delivery, both directly and in part- nership with other local and international institutions, all of which requires superb com- munication and the support of government. Keywords: COVID-19, public sector innova- tion, digital transformation, e-Learning. Introduction Slavoj Zizek writes in Pandemic (2020) that historically, public functions have been Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 563 disrupted by wars and pandemics, compelling governments to make shifts to sustain public services, revive economies and provide social relief to citizens. The disruption caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been a "huge test of governments' capacity to lead societies through crisis" (Mazzucato & Kattel, 2020:2) and their vulnerabilities in managing socio-economic issues. The pace and spread of the virus across the globe have certainly caught many governments on the back foot and unable to address the crisis. At the initial outbreak of COVID-19, Morens, Daszak and Daszak Taubenberger (2020:1294) warned that if public health control measures are not able to address the outbreak, "we face a daunting challenge equal to or perhaps greater than that posed by the influenza pandemic of a century ago". The South African government was faced with this crisis at the outbreak of the COVID- 19 pandemic. It announced a nation-wide lockdown using the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) to prevent the spread of the virus (The Presidency, 2020), which has now entered its third wave of infections. The lockdown had a serious impact on the economy as many companies were closed and people were unable to work. Ngcaweni (2020a:618) points out that COVID-19 has devastated the economy as businesses have shut down and over a million jobs have been lost. The economy will take decades to recover, espe- cially as the pandemic has hit after years of negative growth trends and rising unemploy- ment. COVID-19 has pushed governments around the world to identify and implement different ways of coping with the disease and new ways to deliver services. One of the key levers has been the use of technology to deliver services as per their mandates, especially as the lockdown has continued far longer than most people anticipated. Economic repercussions were not the only effects felt by society and individuals. A study surveyed the consequences of home con- finement due to the pandemic and found significant negative effects on mental health and wellbeing, suggesting 'several psychologi- cal perturbations and mood disturbances such as stress, depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion, anger, frustration, bore- dom and stigma during quarantine periods' (Ammar et al., 2020:8). The study also found that emotional wellbeing was affected by risk factors such as 'disruptions to normal life- styles', including less freedom, financial losses and an unhealthy diet (Ammar et al., 2020:9). Thus, it can be argued that public sector employees would not have been excluded from these negative psychological effects on their wellbeing, which is also a contributing factor in poor public sector performance. The NSG was not spared from these effects and had to come up with new ways of delivering on its mandate. This required a recalibration of the approach to training delivery and a refocus on how this would be done. The NSG's existence is dependent on revenue generation to remain financially viable. The organisation could have chosen to be overwhelmed by the reality of the lockdown, taken a minimalist approach to service delivery and possibly sought a bailout from the National Treasury. Instead, it chose to respond positively and deliver on its mandate. In his State of the Nation Address (South Africa, 2021), President Ramaphosa outlined the government's priorities in response to the negative effects of the pandemic on the Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 564 economy: to deal with the COVID-19 disease; accelerate economic recovery; implement economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth; fight cor- ruption and strengthen the state. This was achieved by repositioning the NSG through digital transformation, partnerships, organi- sational redesign, effective communication and stakeholder engagement. McKinsey (2020a:2) has emphasised that during this period it is very important for organisations to adapt fast to the new normal by rewiring their ways of working, reimagining their organisational structures and readapting talent. This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of the public sector, specifically the NSG, and looks at possible solutions in a changing environ- ment that demands innovation. A literature review of annual reports, strategic reports, policy documents, journal articles and direc- tives was undertaken to imbed the study in the current imperatives, which include the priorities of the public sector, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the NSG's performance. Overview of the National School of Government The NSG was established as a govern- ment training institution, with a mandate derived from the Public Service Act, 1994 (as amended), which states that the institu- tion shall provide training or cause training to be provided; conduct examinations or tests or cause examinations or tests to be conducted as the Head of the institution may decide or as may be prescribed as a qualification for the appointment or transfer of persons in or to the public service. The mandate also provides for the institution to issue diplomas or certificates or cause diplo- mas or certificates to be issued to persons who have passed such examinations (NSG, 2018:7). This mandate is further supported by the Public Administration Management Act (PAMA) (Act 11 of 2014), which pro- vides, inter alia, that the NSG must promote the progressive realisation of the values and principles governing public administra- tion (section 195 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996) through education and training, and enhancing the quality, extent and impact of the development of human resource capacity in institutions. In terms of its business model and delivery approach, the NSG offers training interven- tions based on its own curriculum that is aligned to public sector policy frameworks and priorities, which respond to the needs of public servants and public sector institutions. The NSG delivers these programmes and courses using a combination of contracted independent individuals, NSG employees and other public servants as facilitators, and partnerships with higher education institutions. The majority of the NSG courses and programmes are offered using face- to-face or contact training, with a smaller number being offered on an e-Learning platform. However, this delivery approach was drastically tested in 2020 with the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Cabinet's decision to declare a National State of Disaster. The writing was on the wall in March 2020 when the NSG started to receive cancellations of bookings for training and requests for contact training began to drop. The immediate response of the NSG was to reassess the current busi- ness models including delivery approaches and devise a response plan. Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 565 The Impact of Covid-19 on The Work of Government The South African government is committed to the delivery of services in an efficient and effective manner. This is informed by the imperatives set out in section 195(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which requires public administration to, inter alia, promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources; be account- able; foster transparency by providing the public with timely, accessible and accurate information; and promote and maintain a high standard of professional ethics. The render- ing of a wide range of services requires the coordination of a variety of functional areas that are necessary to deliver these services. Malatjie (2018:2) asserts that governments are able to deliver services only through efficient and effective public service delivery systems, which should be driven by core public service values. Fakir (2007) points out that the public service is responsible not only for the delivery of services, but it is also crucial for economic and social development through the provision of essential services and the basic infrastructure necessary to spur economic development and improve the lives of poor communities. Public sector performance is also informed by the 2009 policy document entitled 'Improving Government Performance: Our Approach', which set out a performance system, including an outcomes-based approach to planning and performance man- agement (South Africa, 2009). Key principles in this policy document include the measure- ment of politically designated outcomes for accountability; giving priority to a few sectors identified within the Medium-Term Strategic Framework; a focus on the sector rather than the department and the intergovernmental implications; emphasising accountability throughout the service delivery chain; chang- ing behaviour, values and attitudes; and an improved data architecture with credible, validated and timely information on outcomes (South Africa, 2009:12). This policy document also provides for the signing of performance agreements (by the President or the Premier) with Ministers/ Members of Executive Councils (MECs), and sector delivery agreements supported by sector delivery forums. The success of this policy document includes having very effective intergovernmental mechanisms, commitment to the performance of an overall sector (e.g. education), as well as political and administrative accountability in government performance. The performance management system (i.e. planning, budgeting, reporting, monitoring, evaluating and auditing) is highly regulated – for example, draft organisational performance plans are developed in line with a Revised Framework for Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans, assessed by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) and National Treasury in accordance with strict submission timelines; approved performance plans are tabled in Parliament with strict tabling timelines; organisational financial and non-financial performance is monitored and reported on a quarterly basis (to the departments' execu- tive authority, the DPME, National Treasury, the departments' Audit Committee and the relevant committee in the Parliament or provincial legislature). The annual perfor- mance information is audited by the Office of the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA), in line with its constitutional and legislative Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 566 mandate. Despite frameworks and policies in place, there are still gaps in the planning and performance system, including the need to strengthen integrated planning processes across all spheres of government, gaps in the implementation of national priorities by the other spheres of government, and inad- equate collaboration among departments and spheres of government (DPME, 2021). Public sector performance was put to the test with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020/21 financial year (i.e. 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021). Following the tabling of performance plans in March 2020, departments were given the oppor- tunity to review their planned performance and revise their performance plans accord- ingly for the 2020/21 financial year. In addition, the Minister for Public Service and Administration issued a directive outlining, inter alia, arrangements for employees to work remotely, while ensuring business and service continuity to support the delivery of public services (DPSA, 2020). According to this directive, administrative heads of department had to re-determine the work- ing arrangements of employees, approve remote working for eligible employees, and provide requisite and additional resources to facilitate remote working. The public sector, including the NSG, had to adapt quickly to the new ways of work- ing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included working remotely to ensure that service delivery continued uninterrupted during lockdown. As McKinsey (2020a:30) aptly puts it, this arrangement had its draw- backs: for example, many processes were originally designed for face-to-face working and had to be revised; managers who had been successful team leaders were suddenly faced with virtual teams; and there was no longer interaction (synergy) between teams. Policies had to be recrafted to fit into the new normal; important processes, such as supply chain management, had to be changed; and legislation pertaining to procurement had to be redrafted. As Ngcaweni (2020a:616) argues, the outbreak of COVID-19 also neces- sitated emergency procurement processes as part of the rapid response, especially for the provision of essential items like personal protective equipment (PPE). The emergency procurement was a shift from the usual supply chain processes bound by legislation and specific regulations. In the context of performance, this has placed the heads of department in precarious posi- tions. They have to plan for performance marked by unknown risks and uncertainties, impacted by government budget reduc- tions to fund COVID-19 relief. Government services have not been fully digitalised, and the majority of public services are still based on face-to-face contact with citizens. Equally, business processes and systems are often still done manually and, therefore, it is difficult to render these services digitally or remotely. Then there are the additional costs related to the procurement of mobile devices for employees working remotely (such as laptops) and extra data cost claims from employees, which were not budgeted for. The staff rotation approach may also be a hindering factor to performance – for instance, if manual processes are still preva- lent in government, this could necessitate physical signatures on documents. It is speculated that by the end of the final audit of the 2020/21 financial year, there Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 567 may be a significant rise in government non-compliance with regard to payments to service providers within 30 days. According to the Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni (2021), eight national government departments had not paid invoices older than 30 days (as at 31 December 2020) to the value of R416.6 million and departments in all nine provincial governments have unpaid invoices older than 30 days to the value of R3.2 billion. This is a direct indication of service delivery that was impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. The impact of the pandemic on public sector performance can be viewed from various impact perspectives and a few of these will be discussed. The first impact on public sector perfor- mance relates to crime. The lockdown regulations implemented in many countries have resulted in some positive consequences, for example, there has been a sizeable reduction in crime since the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), in "Latin America for example, lockdowns saw murder fall by 56 percent in Colombia and by 43 percent in two of Mexico's states" (ISS, 2020). In South Africa, the national lockdown included the restricted movement of people, the closure of clubs, bars and restaurants, a ban on alcohol sales and the deployment of the South African Defence Force to support policing. The consequences of the policing lockdown resulted in "the most substan- tial crime decreases in the past 26 years" (ISS, 2020). The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, the third largest in the world, reported that "it is the first time in its history that the trauma rescue area had no patient on the 1st of the new year (Legodi, 2021). The lockdown, in this instance, had a positive effect on public sector performance, in that resources that were normally allocated to trauma cases (e.g. motor vehicle accidents, drunk driving incidents and alcohol-related violence) could be reprioritised for COVID-19 patients. The ripple effect of this was fewer cases for the police to investigate and place before the courts – thus easing the burden on both the police and the judiciary. The second perspective relates to public service delivery. The pandemic has spurred some service delivery in areas that had been neglected for many years. One example is the provision of water to the people of Hammanskraal, a community located in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in Pretoria. Hawker (2020) contends that the pandemic "'has both magnified the urgent water crisis and precipitated an unprec- edented marshalling of resources" through government intervention to mobilise water tankers for the provision of clean water. The Hammanskraal community had been lobby- ing for the basic human right of access to water for years. The pandemic brought relief to Hammanskraal, with the deployment of water tankers and a budget for the rehabili- tation and upgrade of the water treatment plant. In another slightly astonishing event, in what is possibly a first, government hospitals were receiving and treating patients admit- ted from overburdened private hospitals. According to the South African Minister of Health, the transfer of patients from private to public hospitals had not occurred before, but this has pointed to a need for collabora- tion between the public and private hospital systems (Seleka, 2021) in order to leverage resources, create more capacity and drive efficiencies. Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 568 The third aspect relates to the acceleration of digitalisation and digital transformation of the public sector. A report from Deloitte Centre for Government Insights finds that the pandemic has accelerated digital gov- ernment, wherein it is "no longer a 'nice to have' for government, but an impera- tive" (Deloitte, 2021:8). Governments are now placing digital strategies at the centre of policy issues, for failing to establish a dependency on digital technologies for ser- vices and interactions could hinder "efforts to emerge stronger from the pandemic" (OECD, 2020:1). COVID-19 also became a catalyst for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) as organisations had to adapt quickly to the use of new technology to fast track the delivery of efficient and effective ser- vices. Shava and Hofisi (2016:208) point out that rapid changes challenge legislators to adapt quickly and be innovative enough to embrace new technologies, thus accelerating the 4IR. Empirical research indicates that there are performance improvements in the public sectors of countries that adopted the new technologies ushered in by the 4IR (White et al., 2015; Kemp, 2016). Digital Transformation in the Era of Covid-19 The 4IR is defined as a revolution that is driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber- physical systems that are characterised by the integration of vertical and horizontal value chains, the digitalisation of product and service offerings, and digital business models and customer access (Davis, 2016; Swab, 2016; Xing, Marwala & Marwala, 2018). The World Economic Forum (WEF, 2017) reported that the 4IR is challenging traditional management and governance norms in both the public and private sec- tors. In other words, the innovations and technological advancements of the 4IR are uprooting and changing how societies do business and go about their daily duties. Martin (2019) argues that while the 4IR presents opportunities for timely and less costly delivery of services, it also presents challenges to regulatory frameworks. It exposes organisations, countries and indi- viduals to potential cybersecurity breaches with consumers being mostly vulnerable especially in countries with inadequate data protection laws and technological capability. While digital transformation, influenced by the 4IR, was being embraced to a greater or lesser extent by governments all over the world, it cannot be disputed that the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has fast- tracked plans for digitalisation. According to a global survey of company executives, the "share of digital or digitally enabled prod- ucts in their portfolios has accelerated by a shocking seven years" (McKinsey, 2020b:2). Furthermore, a report by the Deloitte Centre for Government Insights (Deloitte, 2021:10) on government trends indicates the follow- ing COVID-19-led digital investments made by some countries: ● The government of Ontario, Canada, is channelling CAD500 million over a four- year period into modernisation projects in government. These include making government services digitally accessible. ● The United Kingdom's Spending Review 2020 has set aside GBP600 million to upgrade the government's information technology to improve security and efficiency. Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 569 ● France has earmarked USD8.4 billion for investments in digital transformation and infrastructure. ● The Malaysian federal budget has allo- cated USD242.5 million for investments in cybersecurity, a digital workforce and digital transformation. ● The Australian government investment of approximately AUD800 million will support whole-of-government capabilities such as digital identity. At the same time, digitalisation has to be approached with some level of caution. According to the OECD (2020), digital access does require consistent high-quality connec- tivity. It also has the potential to widen the digital divide, and there are security risks associated with malicious activities related to online engagements. This is particularly interesting, because South Africa finds itself affected by all of these issues and this has certainly been the case with the NSG. Innovation as a Signifier of Resiliance at the NSG As stated earlier, with the suspension of revenue generating face-to-face classes, the institution entered unchartered waters. Leadership was forced to explore various models that could help the institution to stay in business. Both the Finance and Strategy offices made appraised capabilities available to assess the national situation and explore the extent to which departments would be willing to accept new delivery modalities, such as virtual online learning. Curriculum and e-Learning Chief Directorates had to work on adapting the curriculum for online (synchronous and asynchronous) as well as virtual learning. This was a highly risky exercise as the majority of public servants occupy lower ranks within the system and therefore do not qualify for data and devices. To make products attractive, the institution aggressively promoted some free online courses, such as Ethics in the Public Service on social media, media statements and countless interviews, which coincided with the national outcry about COVID-19-related corruption. Media interest in this course generated sig- nificant attention (e.g. the course grew from an enrolment of 2 458 in the 2019/20 financial year to 19 074 in 2020/21) and provided traction for other online courses. The introduction of Nyukela, the compul- sory pre-entry Senior Management Service course, also generated significant national interest and tested the market's appetite for the NSG's online courses. The aggressive social media marketing and mass media's coverage of this new course also generated significant interest and enrolments – the course recording over 10 000 students in its first year of offering. The following vision of what digital trans- formation meant for the institution was communicated to NSG staff by the head of department: ● Moving to a fully automated office ecosys- tem with basics such as bookings, routing of submissions, leave and performance management processed electronically. ● Automating the knowledge management system, introducing business analytics in research, monitoring and evaluation functions. Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 570 ● Procuring Microsoft (MS) 365 to give full MS Teams functionality, in addition to securing Zoom, which gives the organisation more virtual training options. This enabled the introduction of virtual courses using these platforms – with Zoom dominating as it can be accessed by students without a licence, since many departments have not yet migrated to MS 365. These innovations were in addition to the existing training management platforms such as Moodle, which are used for the old limited e-Learning courses. These new technologies and ways of working required the fast-tracking of internal training so that employees could function effectively. The leadership of the school was very sensitive to the possibility of leaving employees out of the new normal, which would have caused anxiety and undermined buy-in. ● There was full recognition that digi- tal transformation 'needed hardware, software and what can be referred to as brainware' (employees who can fully use available technologies) that improve business processes, and drive efficiency and impact. It means building algorithms driven by machine learning so that, from wherever we are, we can press a button and access dashboards of what training is underway, where, who is in attendance, and who is facilitating such training (Ngcaweni, 2020b:3). ● Finally, digital transformation involves plans to build bots on platforms like WhatsApp Business so that public servants can engage easily with the NSG on their devices, wherever they are, at their own convenience. Once again, we emphasise that the NSG's COVID-19 response plan recognised the radical change from the old business model (which offered training mainly through face-to-face delivery) to an open distance e-learning approach; that is, shifting from the physical classroom to a technology- based learning model. This response plan identified the need to invest in a strength- ened ICT environment to enable distance learning, while redefining the business pro- cesses and the way in which the NSG will function in the future. This would include fully digitising the institution and reskilling employees so that they are able to func- tion adequately in the new normal. Once fully implemented, the new normal will see employees using new technologies such as scanners that use QR codes (digital scanners) instead of manually capturing data. These changes, the leadership argued, should open career advancement opportunities, especially for administrators. Instead of mailing bulk study material to students and trainers, the new digital learning platforms will be used to upload material per class and make it available on demand, while keeping digital records of who is logging in, and accessing or printing the School's intellectual property. In essence, the pan- demic has induced an emergency leap into a digital future, demanding the department to fully exploit the 4IR dividend, or become irrelevant. Building awareness and advocacy across the public sector was also necessary in order to prevent leaving behind and losing the major- ity of the NSG's clients, who happen to be junior and middle-tier public servants who do not necessarily have access to comput- ers and data for e-learning. A study by Xing, Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 571 Marwala and Marwala (2018:174) found that when new technologies are introduced there is always a need for staff to facilitate the implementation process and to perform maintenance duties. This was, indeed, the experience in the NSG, as outlined above. When more training courses were added on an online platform for learners working from home, the back office required more people to deal with the high volume of queries and to assist learners to log on to the system and access the training courses. Implementing digital innovations is always a risky business, and the NSG experienced some of the following challenges: ● The remote working and online innova- tions require steady and high-quality data connectivity, which is not easy to secure outside of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA). Data lines in government do have many restrictions – and a bigger data line means increased costs ● The marketing of the NSG online courses during the level 5 national lockdown, through media statements issued by the Minister of Public Service and Admin- istration, resulted in a large number of enquiries via the NSG website, which caused the website to crash. Clearly, the website was not geared or prepared for these high volumes. ● Virtual meetings became the new normal, but employees were ill-prepared – from either a system or a capability perspective – for this new way of working. Initially, virtual meetings were a case of trial and error. ● Perhaps the greatest challenge experi- enced by the NSG was the cybercrime attack, which occurred on 31 July 2020 and compromised the entire local area network (LAN), thus affecting all oper- ations. The sudden thrust of working remotely and using digital platforms has provided opportunities for cyber crimi- nals to extort ransom from vulnerable organisations – both public and private. Although the recovery and rebuilding of the NSG production environment was disrupted, other measures have ensured that it was not a complete loss. These included effective disaster recovery and back-up plans, using cloud-based solu- tions and outsourced service providers for key operations. The executive of the NSG, in chartering the unfamiliar waters of the lockdown and the challenges associated with embracing 4IR and a fully digitised organisation, took on an 'if we fail, we will learn' approach. This stra- tegic approach paid off and in the 2020/21 financial year, the NSG recorded, in what can be viewed as unprecedented, online learning enrolments in excess of 54 000 learners. In addition, more than 17 000 learners enrolled for an orientation to getting 'Started with e-Learning' (NSG, 2021). If these training figures are anything to go by, it confirms that there is an appetite among learners (mainly public servants) to study at their own pace and in their own time, and that the NSG's decision to move in the direction of increased digital and online learning was the correct one. However, this also means that government has to invest significantly in the digital ecosystem to enable more e-learning. Nevertheless, there is an economic spin-off for government: e-learning eliminates the Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 572 need for payment of accommodation, trav- elling and other subsistence costs related to training. The NSG also ventured into two other new areas during the pandemic. The first was the hosting of webinars led by seasoned presenters, including the late Professor Stan Sangweni. These are game changers that are attracting significant numbers and are lifting the profile of the NSG. As Ngcaweni (2020b) aptly puts it, this "is a clear sign that public servants, like pilots, are ready to turn to the simulator to deepen their knowledge and sharpen their skills". The second is international partnerships, which materialised through 'virtual exchanges'. For example, two successful partnerships, one with the École nationale d'administration of France and the other with the China National Academy of Governance, have resulted in a number of public servants and public rep- resentatives participating in these learning programmes (NSG, 2021). The success of these ventures points the NSG in the direc- tion of increased international partnerships, and several other ventures are underway, including a virtual master's programme with Arizona State University, and an Executive Leadership Programme in partnership with the University College of London's Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Over the past year the NSG has geared itself up for this new era by implementing relevant digital solutions and tools for the delivery of distance learning. At the same time, its employees are being capacitated through regular training on how to manage virtual classes and webinars. In some ways, it can be argued that the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise because it has propelled the NSG's training programmes to another level – thereby fulfilling the need of learners to study in their own time, and at their own pace, in their own homes. Conclusion The case study of the NSG, it is apparent that government needs to strengthen its role and capacity to maintain the pace of digital change. There has to be an inte- gration of the activities of key institutions such as the Department of Public Service and Administration, the Department of Communication and Digital Technologies, and the State Information Technology Agency, to name a few. Current literature (Clarke, 2019; OECD, 2020; Mazzucato, Qobo & Kattel, 2021) emphasises the need for a whole-of-government approach to driving digital strategies. At the same time, the digi- talisation and automation of public services is now a necessity. Perhaps the snaking lines outside service delivery points could become a thing of the past. Second, government must play a central role in developing capacity and capabilities for the digital future. In this regard, the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy, issued by the Minister for Communication and Digital Technologies, is a key strategy document aimed at substan- tially increasing the digital skills of South Africans and addressing the digital divide (South Africa, 2020:22). This statement is supported by Marivate, Aghoghovwia, Ismail, Mahomed-Asmail and Steenhuisen (2021) who assert that "we need to move from 4IR as a buzzword to the reality with mid to long term strategies for which the country can aim. This requires a common understanding of the concepts and bringing different sectors Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 573 of society into this understanding". Lastly, from the experience of the NSG cybercrime attack, it is evident that there is a need to strengthen capacity in this area, and a cybersecurity course is in the offering with the University of Johannesburg. Agencies such as the State Security Agency (SSA) and the Cybersecurity Hub have critical roles to play in protecting state information and data. This article aimed to offer a case study of how a government department responded to the crisis that was brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic through shifting its operations from face-to-face into online and virtual offerings. This case has shown that the department continued to deliver an effective and efficient service through the use of technology and other modalities of delivery compliant with various COVID-19 risk-adjusted lockdowns. While the cyber-attack was devastating, the department successfully reconstructed perfor- mance and financial information and was able to submit information without risking missing the regulated dates for submitting annual financial statements to National Treasury and AGSA. Without belabouring the point, all this pointed towards the need to increase investment and the pace of adaptation as well as skills development to adequately attend to challenges such as ransomware. It is important to note that as much as the 4IR has enabled service delivery during criti- cal and tough times, there are still serious drawbacks that need to be solved. A critical aspect is the need to secure the environment in which the public sector operates, but this will necessitate substantially more investment in resources and infrastructure. This is sup- ported by Magyar (2016), who underscores that the advancement of the latest technolo- gies may pose a serious threat to the privacy and security of individuals, corporations and governments, because of cybercrimes such as hacking, which are now a major threat across the world. References Ammar, A., Mueller, P., Trabelsi, K., Chtourou, H., Boukhris, O., Masmoudi L. et al. 2020. Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID-19 multicenter study, PLoS ONE, 15(11):e0240204. Clarke, A. 2019. Digital government units: what are they, and what do they mean for digital era public management renewal? International Public Management Journal, 23(3):358-379. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1 0967494.2019.1686447. Accessed 20 May 2021. Deloitte, 2021. Government Trends 2021. Global transformative trends in the public sector. A report from the Deloitte Centre for Government Insights. Available at: https://www.deloitte. com/content/dam/insights/articles/7079_CGI-overview-and introduction/DI_Government-trends-2021.pdf. Accessed 24 May 2021. Digital Economy Outlook. 2020. Supplement. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/digital/digital-economy-outlook- covid.pdf. Accessed 19 May 2021. Fakir, E. 2007. Public service delivery in a democratic, developmental state. Policy: Issues and Actors, 20(3):1-11. Hawker, D. 2020. Why it took a pandemic to get water tankers moving. Available at: https://www.newframe.com/why-it- took-a-pandemic-to-get-water-tankers-moving/. Accessed 22 May 2021. Institute for Security Studies (ISS). 2020. SA crime reductions during COVID-19 lockdown may be short lived. Available at: https://issafrica.org/about-us/press-releases/sa-crime- reductions-during-covid-19-lockdown-may-be-short-lived. Accessed 22 May 2021. Kemp, Y. 2016. SA may not be ready for 'revolution', Johan- nesburg: Sunday Independent. Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 574 Legodi, T. 2021. History for Baragawanath Hospital trauma ward as booze ban, curfew pay dividends, Radio 702. Available at: https://www.702.co.za/articles/405223/history for-baragawanath-hospital-trauma-ward-as-booze-ban- curfew-pay-dividends. Accessed 24 May 2021. Magyar, J. 2016. Will the Fourth Industrial Revolution improve the state of the world? The Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum, Global Agenda, Davos, 22 January. Malatjie, I. 2018. Entrepreneurial orientation: Performance level of public sector organisations in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration and Development Alternatives, 3(2). Marivate, V., Aghoghovwia, P., Ismail, Y., Mahomed-Asmail, F. & Steenhuisen, S.L. 2021. The Fourth Industrial Revolution – What does it mean to our future faculty? S. Afr J Sci, 2021; 117(5/6), Art. # 10702. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10702. Accessed 30 June 2021. Martin, A. 2019. We could be sleepwalking into a new crisis: How should the business world prepare? Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/. Accessed 25 May 2021. Mazzucato, M. & Kattel, R. 2020. Covid-19 and Public Sector Capacity. Working Paper No. 2020-12, UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. Available at: https://www. ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/sites/public-purpose/files/ final_iipp. Accessed 25 May 2021. Mazzucato, M., Qobo, M. & Kattel, R. 2021. Building State capacities and dynamic capabilities to drive social and economic development: The case of South Africa. UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, Working Paper Series (IIP WP 2021/09). Available at: https://www. ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/sites/public-purpose/ wp2021-09. Accessed 30 May 2021. Mboweni, T. 2021. Written reply to National Assembly Parliamentary Question No. 129 [NW132E]. Available at: https://www.parliament.gov.za/storage/app/media/Docs/ exe_rq_na/2fce31a6-ceac 4594-ba3d-8de8924df90c.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2021. McKinsey, C. 2020a. COVID-19: Briefing materials. Global health and crisis response, updated 6 July 2020. Chicago, IL: McKinsey & Company. McKinsey, C. 2020b. How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point – and transformed business forever. Accessed 22 May 2021. Morens, D.M., Daszak, P. & Daszak Taubenberger, J.K. 2020. Escaping Pandora's box: Another novel coronavirus. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(14):1293-1295. Ngcaweni, B. 2020a. Leaping forward: Preliminary thoughts on COVID-19 and shifts in public administration. Journal of Public Administration, 55(4):608-620. Ngcaweni, B. 2020b. An update on organisational issues: From the desk of the Principal. National School of Gov- ernment. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 2020. Digital Transformation in the Age of COVID-19: Building Resilience and Bridging Divides. Republic of South Africa. 1996. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Pretoria: Government Printers. Seleka, N. 2021. Government hospitals will continue accommodating Covid-19 patients from private hospitals – Mkhize, News24. Available at: https://www.news24.com/ news24/southafrica/news/government-hospitals-will- continue-accommodating-covid-19-patients-from-private- hospitals-mkhize-20210120. Accessed 24 May 2021. Shava, E. & Hofisi, C. 2016. Challenges and opportunities for public administration in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. African Journal of Public Affairs, 9(9):203-215. South Africa, 2002. Disaster Management Act (Act 57 of 2002). Pretoria: Government Printer. South Africa. 2009. The Presidency. Improving Government Performance: Our Approach. Available at: www.gov.za. Accessed 24 May 2021. South Africa. The Presidency. 2020. Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Joint Sitting of Parliament on South Africa's Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Available at: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/speeches. Accessed 1 May 2021. South Africa. 2014. Public Administration Management Act, No. 11 of 2014. The Presidency. Government Gazette, 594(38374), 22 December 2014. South Africa. 2020. National Digital and Future Skills Strategy South Africa, Government Gazette, 43730, 3 September 2020. (General Notices Gazette No. 513). Journal of Public Administration • Volume 56 • Number 3 • September 2021 The Impact of Covid-19 on Public Sector Performance: The Case of the National School of Government Izimangaliso Malatjie, Dino Poonsamy and Busani Ngcaweni 575 South Africa. 2021. President Cyril Ramaphosa: 2021 State of the Nation Address. http://www.gov.za/speeches. Accessed 16 May 2021. South Africa, National School of Government 2018. Annual Performance Plan 2018-2019. South Africa, National School of Government 2021. Annual Report 2020-2021. South Africa, Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). 2021. Government Wide Planning and Reporting Cycle. Available at: https://www.dpme.gov. za/keyfocusareas/Provincial%20Performance%20Publ cationDocuments/Goverment%20Wide%20Planning%20 Process%20-shorter%20 %2011032021%20-%20EXCO. pdf. Accessed 24 May 2021. South Africa, Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA). 2020. Directions issued by the Minister for the Public Service and Administration in respect of service delivery and business continuity for the public service during COVID-19. Available at: http://www.dpsa.gov. za/documents/COVID-19/17_6_r_25_03_2020_2.pdf. Accessed 24 May 2021. White, M., Russell, K. & Krein, P. 2015. Tech Trends 2015 – The fusion of business and IT - A public sector perspective, New York, NY United States: Deloitte. World Economic Forum (WEF). 2017. Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Supply Chain, White Paper, 7 November. Available at: http://www.weforum.org/docs/ WEF. Accessed 16 May 2021. Xing, B., Marwala, L. & Marwala, T. 2018. Adopt fast, adapt quick: Adaptive approaches in the South African context (Chapter 8). In N.W. Gleason (ed.). Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Singapore: Macmillan, pp. 171-206. Žižek S. 2020. Pandemic!: COVID-19 shakes the world. New York and London: OR Books; 2020.