Rustenburg - North West Premier Job Mokgoro on Thursday launched the North West Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) in Rustenburg.
Mokgoro said South Africans must focus on building a skilled and professional public service.
"The National Development Plan is very clear and conscience that we need to make sure that we make a public service and local government a career of choice. South Africans must focus on building a skilled and professional public service from top to bottom."
He said in many countries it was an honour to be in the public service.
"I do not think we public servant want a situation where, when we see the people we serve that we should actually hide from them because we did not respond to their calls, because we said we will come back to you..."
Mokgoro was accompanied by Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant. Deputy President David Mabuza was not apart of the launch but, was expected to chair the 21st HRDC meeting at Orbit College, Rustenburg Campus, on Friday.
Mabuza is the chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) of South Africa that was launched in 2010.
The new provincial HRD Council consist of members from organised labour, government, business, civil society and academics.
The 21st HRDC meeting would, amongst others, give a presentation on free education and bursaries management.
It would also highlight the North West provincial government's implementation of the human resource development strategy and bring forth a brief overview of the mandate of the newly launched provincial HRD Council.
The launch of the North West HRDC followed a two-day provincial skills lekgotla aimed to deepen skills development efforts and respond to the needs of the economy of the province.
The lekgotla resolved amongst others that provincial skills gap analysis to be executed in line with an employment needs analysis, rural community skills development initiatives which create exposure to all industrial revolution opportunities, the office of the premier must champion the programme for recognition for prior learning and that private companies should be encouraged to share bursaries and training programmes with both provincial government and local government to form part of the skills development.