Date: 04/06/2009

Source: Democratic Alliance

Title: DA: Dreyer: Speech by the DA shadow minister of public service and administration at the State of the Nation debate in Parliament

"To achieve our goals, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of service, probity and integrity. Together we must build a society that prizes excellence and rewards effort."

Mr Speaker, this is what president Zuma said in his inauguration speech at the Union Buildings. The DA wholeheartedly agrees with these principles of achieving high standards and rewarding excellence.

However, Minister Richard Baloyi, for the Public Service, recently acknowledged that there are difficulties in reaching these ideals when he said "the quality of service the public receives, needs much improvement in many areas." The DA also agrees with the minister on this score.

Sadly, the Public Service Commission revealed that between 2006 and 2007 there was a 46 percent increase in cases of corruption reported to the National Anti-Corruption Hotline. Therefore, I was glad to hear President Zuma highlighting his commitment to curb corruption in the public service.

Further, year after year the Auditor-General highlights financial mismanagement by various departments. These problems are linked to not signing performance contracts with senior management staff. A public service that cannot measure the performance of its officials, cannot hold them accountable for failures, but also cannot acknowledge the hard work done by the many dedicated publicservants.

A responsive government will ensure that senior managers enter into performance agreements and are held accountable for service delivery.

In sy staatsrede het president Zuma gehaltedienslewering juis verbind met Batho Pele, mense eerste: Wat ʼn treffende beginsel!

Hoe kan ons dit ten beste uitleef? Deur by elke gemeenskap se unieke behoeftes aan te pas. As owerhede eiesoortige stelsels in die verskillende provinsies toepas, sal mens sien watter metodes werk die beste. Stelsels wat werk vir die Noord-Kaap is nie noodwendig die antwoord vir Gauteng nie. Diversiteit van gemeenskappe moet lei tot diversiteit van stelsels.

Die gedagte van een gesentraliseerde staatsdiens vir al drie sfere van regering, waarin minister Collin Chabane die mag het om prestasies in 90 departemente, 9 provinsies, 56 distriksmunisipaliteite, ses metro's en 283 munisipaliteite te moniteer, is egter gevaarlik.

As ministers dienste in hulle eie departemente nie kan verseker nie, hoe gaan een sentraal beheerde staatsdiens vir nege provinsies dit regkry! Hiermee tel die regering 'n las op sy skouers wat selfs die kommunistiese Sowjetunie met miljoene amptenare nie kon baasraak nie. Kort voor lank stort alle plaaslike dienste in duie.

Mister Speaker, the biggest problem with service delivery is at local government level. Minister Baloyi also acknowledged this when he said: "it is clear that local government faces a challenge that is sometimes met by filling posts with people who do not have suitable skills."

Once again, the DA agrees with the minister. Service delivery depends on having the right people in the right positions; we must fill the many vacancies with suitably skilled people.

In provincial government, at senior management level, there was a 16 percent vacancy rate in the North West, 19 percent in the Free State and 31 percent in the Northern Cape. In local government in January this year, there were 32 vacant municipal manager posts.

Often these positions are not filled, because there is no suitably qualified candidate in the required racial category. Surely it is better to fill a position with a suitably qualified person of any colour to achieve service delivery.

The DA favours the three principles I have emphasised, namely accountable performance, diversity and merit.

In fact, President Zuma pleaded for this when he said: "We do not seek conformity. We set ourselves the task of ensuring that we create a state that is responsive to the needs of all the people of the country - a state that would ensure that basic services were available to all regardless of race, colour, gender or creed."

President Zuma also gave sound advice when he spelt out his vision: "We must build a society that draws on the capabilities, energy and promise of all its people."

Mister President, if you ensure that proper services are provided by all the people "regardless of race, colour, gender or creed" to all the people "regardless of race, colour, gender or creed", the DA will support you.