IntroductionDecision making is very important in administration because leaders need to consult widely among experts before arriving at a decision that allows them to reach the best possible conclusion. In administrative circumstances, in countries such as South Africa, it has been found that it is necessary for the public manager to identify and define the problem so that he knows who and what will influence his decision. Furthermore, the responses to the identified problem should be well structured so that the circumstances surrounding the problem can be adequately covered and thus an accurate decision has been made to resolve it.BreakdownThe South African government has ensured that thorough investigations are conducted because this is the only way through which the causes of the problem can be determined, so that the impact of the situation can be analysed. All potential alternatives to solve the problems at hand must be considered because this is what determines correct decisions are made (Besosa, 2007). These alternatives must be considered on their merits and demerits because the decisions made correspond to the social and economic contexts of individuals and the circumstances they will influence. Finally, it was deemed necessary for decision makers in administrative circumstances to ensure that they select the best alternative and create a comprehensive plan that can be effectively implemented. It can therefore be said that public management in South Africa involves non-elected officials working within departments at all levels of government and making those decisions which ensure that government functions are as effective as possible and that... paper ……the. 34, no. 3, pp. 419-433.Desai, A. 2003, 'Neoliberalism and resistance in South Africa', Monthly Review, vol. 54, no. 8, pp. 16-28.Hughes, O. 2012. Public Management and Administration, Melbourne: Palgrave Macmillan.Ijeoma, E. 2013. South Africa Public Management in Context, Pretoria: Verity Publishers.Lane, J. 2000 Public Management: An Introduction, London : Routledge.Lynn, L. 2000. Public Management: Old and New, London: Routledge.McGuire, M. & Agranoff, R. 2004. Collaborative Public Management: New Strategies for Local Government. Georgetown: Georgetown University Press.Rainey, H. 2009. Understanding and Managing Public Organizations, New York: Jossey-Bass.Tompkins, J. 2004. Organization Theory and Public Management, Connecticut: Cengage Learning.Welch, CE 2009, "Human Rights: in African Prisons", Choice, vol. 46, no. 6, pages. 1179.