It is the implementation of laws and the actual provision of services and products that constitutes governance. The programmes of government should thus contribute towards an enhanced quality of life for all. This implies that the outcomes of public administration are aimed at service delivery and the improvement of the general welfare of the people. The Batho Pele White Paper states that the South African Public Service will be judged by one criterion: its effectiveness in delivering services that meet the basic needs of all South African citizens, and the aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the principles of the Batho Pele White Paper, as a definitive government regulation on service delivery, by the South African public service; specifically by Statistics SA.