--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The public service needs lots of people…" description: "\"The public service needs lots of people, South Africa generally, needs lots of people.\" — Thabo Mbeki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png" --- # The public service needs lots of people, South Africa… ![“The public service needs lots of people, South Africa generally, needs lots of people.” quote by Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png) > “The public service needs lots of people, South Africa generally, needs lots of people.” [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement calls for a large number of people to engage in public service, especially in South Africa, underscoring the need for collective participation in governance. **In simple terms:** Many people must join public service. Key Takeaway Encourage civic involvement. Themes civic duty public service South Africa politics community Mood motivational urgent Type political social When to use this quote - volunteering - policy making - community organizing - education campaigns Key Concepts collective action nation building Questions to Reflect On - What incentives could increase public service participation? - How can citizens influence policy effectively? A Different Perspective Motivation may be hindered by distrust in institutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa-generally-3991517/) [Lots People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lots-people/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Lots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-lots-3991518/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Public service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-service/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Service Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-needs-1035359/) [South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south/) [South africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-africa/) ## Related quotes > [I remember being very affected by what was going on there towards the end of Apartheid. And the subject is still very pertinent, politically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-remember-being-very-affected-by-what-was-going-on-there-towards-the/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [To be fulfilled, a prophecy needs lots of flexibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/to-be-fulfilled-a-prophecy-needs-lots-of-flexibility/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The people don't take baths and they don't speak English. No golf courses, no room service. Who needs it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcmahon/the-people-don-t-take-baths-and-they-don-t-speak-english-no-golf/) [Jim McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcmahon/) > [“Your local Wizard for all of your SEO service needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wizard/your-local-wizard-for-all-of-your-seo-service-needs/) [Wizard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wizard/) > [A music service needs to be more than a bunch of songs and a few playlists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-iovine/a-music-service-needs-to-be-more-than-a-bunch-of-songs-and-a-few/) [Jimmy Iovine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-iovine/) > [Everything we do is in service of our needs. When this one concept is applied to our view of others, we'll see that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/everything-we-do-is-in-service-of-our-needs-when-this-one-concept-is/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Really, a critical matter in the public service is radically to improve the quality of management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/really-a-critical-matter-in-the-public-service-is-radically-to/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We have to continue to confront the challenge of corruption within the public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-have-to-continue-to-confront-the-challenge-of-corruption-within/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We have been at the matter of police pay for some time. Indeed, the Minister of Safety and Security and the National Commissioner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-have-been-at-the-matter-of-police-pay-for-some-time-indeed-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [The principal investors in the South African economy are South Africans. And this is something, I think, we should really pay attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-principal-investors-in-the-south-african-economy-are-south/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [There must be no abuse of people and they did ask that the South Africa Government should give them whatever support they needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/there-must-be-no-abuse-of-people-and-they-did-ask-that-the-south/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We do not have a South African as a member of the African Commission. The President of the Commission comes from Mali, the Deputy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-do-not-have-a-south-african-as-a-member-of-the-african-commission/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We raised the matter of an agreement that was reached at the Growth and Development Summit, which was that we should access a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-raised-the-matter-of-an-agreement-that-was-reached-at-the-growth/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [It's a big problem in South Africa up to this day: many people want to open factories, they want to invest, but then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/it-s-a-big-problem-in-south-africa-up-to-this-day-many-people-want-to/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [If you look for instance at the automobile industry, part of the reason that you have the expansion of that sector, is precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/if-you-look-for-instance-at-the-automobile-industry-part-of-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## More by Thabo Mbeki > [We should never become despondent because the weather is bad, nor should we turn triumphalist because the sun shines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-should-never-become-despondent-because-the-weather-is-bad-nor/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [That surely must be a concern to anyone who decides this drug must be given to stop transmissions, again from mother to child, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/that-surely-must-be-a-concern-to-anyone-who-decides-this-drug-must-be/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I think that probably the most important thing about our education was that it taught us to question even those things we thought we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-think-that-probably-the-most-important-thing-about-our-education/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [What we are saying is that we need to consolidate the capacity to lend support. Because, one of the problems that's mentioned with regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/what-we-are-saying-is-that-we-need-to-consolidate-the-capacity-to/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I say that why don't we bring all points of view. Sit around a table and discuss this evidence, and produce evidence as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-say-that-why-don-t-we-bring-all-points-of-view-sit-around-a-table/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [As Africans, we need to share common recognition that all of us stand to lose if we fail to transform our continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/as-africans-we-need-to-share-common-recognition-that-all-of-us-stand/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I think you're a much happier person if you say 'Even if I get involved in politics, I'm only doing so in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-think-you-re-a-much-happier-person-if-you-say-even-if-i-get/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [I must say, with regard to Equatorial Guinea, the Government of Equatorial Guinea, as soon as they had arrested these people, sent a delegation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/i-must-say-with-regard-to-equatorial-guinea-the-government-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We are in the process of negotiating an agreement with the United States. We will be negotiating agreements with India and China. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-in-the-process-of-negotiating-an-agreement-with-the-united/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“Her work sought to challenge all of us critically to reflect on the things we find comfort in believing without question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/her-work-sought-to-challenge-all-of-us-critically-to-reflect-on-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Of course we run a very open economy, and therefore what happens in the rest of the world, in economic terms, obviously has an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/of-course-we-run-a-very-open-economy-and-therefore-what-happens-in/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Part of the issue around communal land, which became a matter of controversy, is that we are saying that this land must go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/part-of-the-issue-around-communal-land-which-became-a-matter-of/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [Historically during the years of the White minority regimes, the State, the national Government held this land in trust for these communities. We said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/historically-during-the-years-of-the-white-minority-regimes-the-state/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [We want the National Intelligence, we want the Police, we want the Scorpions, any other institutions, the tax people, and so on, the totality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-want-the-national-intelligence-we-want-the-police-we-want-the/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) [Explore all 176 Thabo Mbeki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) ## More Needs quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [If your life's at a juncture and you need to think about things, there's nowhere better than home. However old you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/if-your-life-s-at-a-juncture-and-you-need-to-think-about-things-there/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [I want a man that when I come running up to him with tears running down my face, the first thing he says is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-a-man-that-when-i-come-running-up-to-him-with-tears-running/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,464 Needs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The public service needs lots of people, South Africa generally, needs lots of people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thabo Mbeki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people-south-africa-generally-needs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Needs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people-south-africa-generally-needs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/thabo-mbeki-2259_needs_the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people_2069941.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The public service needs lots of people, South Africa generally, needs lots of people.” — Thabo Mbeki", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thabo Mbeki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The public service needs lots of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people-south-africa-generally-needs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/the-public-service-needs-lots-of-people-south-africa-generally-needs/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```