Date: 31/05/2006
Source: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
Title: Fraser-Moleketi: Public Service and Administration Dept Budget Vote 2006/07
The Minister of Public Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi’s Budget Vote Speech, National Assembly
Introduction
In his State of the Nation Address in February 2006, President Thabo Mbeki emphasised the centrality of the work of the Public Service and Administration portfolio, referring to the legitimate expectation that our people have that government will discharge its responsibilities effectively and efficiently, while honouring the precepts of Batho Pele.
We are in the fortunate position of being able to benefit from powerful and well-considered feedback from the population broadly through government’s programme of izimbizo, as well as from the democratic oversight institutions created in terms of our Constitution.
The macro-organisation of the state
The Macro-organisation of the State remains one of the key determinants of public sector effectiveness. Since 1994, Government created a range of public entities (PEs) outside of normal departmental structures. This was done in the absence of an overarching policy and procedural framework, which resulted in fragmented regulatory, governance and accountability frameworks and also diverse conditions of service. We have now designed a Policy Framework, which contains an enhanced governance framework and a draft guide on the appointment of persons to boards of public sector institutions. Following formal approval of the policy framework, during this financial year government will consider introducing legislation regarding public entities.
Single Public Service
Creating the ability for government departments to coordinate their efforts is one of the perennial problems faced in public administration. This government has made significant inroads into providing the necessary institutional mechanisms to achieve this. My portfolio is now focusing on achieving a Single Public Service. At the same time we have introduced a framework to facilitate joint action in programmatic activities.
It is anticipated that the draft Bill on the Single Public Service will be submitted to Cabinet in November 2006, for approval to publish and for public comment. If approved, it is suggested that the consultation period should be completed by the end of March 2007 and we will ensure that such legislation becomes part of the legislative programme in 2007.
To realise the overall objectives of the Single Public Service, attention has to be given to the integration of the front office (points of service delivery) as well as the integration of the back office (information systems). Information and communication technologies are critical to support efficient and effective service delivery both in terms of the front office, as well as the back office.
Joint or crosscutting programmes are a crucial test of integrated and co-operative governance. A framework for managing joint programmes in government has been approved by Cabinet. It is aimed at addressing the weaknesses in the current procedures and processes of planning, budgeting and implementation that are hampered by weak capability to deliver.
Anti-corruption
Corruption has the potential to retard our transformation programme and curb our developmental initiatives by siphoning off public resources that should have been utilised differently. As with previous years we have continued to focus our anti-corruption work on the public sector, the national programme as well as on the regional and global fronts.
Public service departments have been provided with a new guide on how to fully establish minimum anti-corruption capacity. Progress with implementation is good, with over two-thirds of departments complying with the requirements.
At national level the National Anti-corruption Forum has developed and adopted a National Anti-corruption Programme. Government has made R 7,7 million available for its implementation. This Programme is a tangible example of cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sectors and reflects the commitment of the leaders of these sectors to fight corruption.
A key strategy adopted by government to prevent and combat corruption was the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Hotline1 for the Public Service (NACH) in 2004. Since its establishment, the Hotline has generated 1 681 corruption related and 1 056 service delivery complaints cases for further handling and investigation by departments. The PSC maintains a database of all the cases to ensure that there is follow up with the departments concerned. To sustain the integrity and credibility of the hotline, departments will have to play a much more active and speedy role in the finalization of reported cases to ensure that the public gets the necessary feedback.
In April 2007 we will host a major project for South Africa and Africa: Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity. This premier inter-governmental event will bring together 1 500 government leaders and experts as well as representatives from international organisations and civil society. The Forum provides for the exchange of information and good practice on fighting corruption.
Public sector capacity
Much of the attention of the Executive is focused on capacity considerations. In late 2004, the President asked the Governance and Administration Coordinating Ministers to assess the capacity of our state machinery to implement the agenda of the developmental state.
We have already embarked on interventions to strengthen capacity in the departments of Housing; Health; Education; Justice and Trade and Industry. Our contribution has also now been extended to include capacity assessments for the implementation of Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
Through the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA), ASGI-SA includes a strong emphasis on skills development. This portfolio is closely involved in JIPSA, with SAMDI playing the lead role in the Project Management initiative sponsored by Old Mutual SA.
One hundred participants will be taken through a 4-module programme during 2007. Of the 22 participants who are in the first stream of the programme, 17 are Black women. We wish these participants, and the others who are going to join the programme over the next three months, everything of the best.
Transformation in the Public Service
It gives me pleasure to announce today that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will be sponsoring a gender mainstreaming programme in SAMDI to the tune of R20 m over the next three years.
The overall objectives of this programme are to improve capacity of Public Servants in departments to mainstream gender considerations into service delivery, internal functions, strategies, program development; increase capacity of departments to conduct their own internal gender training programs; and to enhance capacity of SAMDI to provide gender-mainstreaming training to Public Servants in South Africa and in the region.
People with disabilities remain seriously under-represented in the public service. In March 2006 there was a total of 1 710 employees with disabilities (0.165%) in the South African public service. Several barriers remain to employment for persons with disabilities. These include: prejudice, stereotyping and a lack of understanding about the different types of disability and the capabilities of persons with disabilities; lack of essential job accommodation; physical inaccessibility of workplaces; inadequate public transport system; inaccessible and inadequate training and development; and staffing policies and mechanisms, which do not adequately measure the potential an employee has to satisfy the requirements of the job.
In response to these, Cabinet approved the JobACCESS 2006–2010 strategy for the recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities that prioritises, among other things, access to employment and skills training for unemployed. Cabinet approved the target of a minimum of 2% by March 2008 for PSETA learnerships for unemployed persons with disabilities, addressing the existing barriers to recruitment, promotion and retention of persons with disabilities, better use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
We are experimenting on a continual basis with how to keep our people central to the processes of administration, how to make their interaction with bureaucracy more pleasant and more effective. Initiatives such as signage, making the wearing of name tags compulsory and extending our service hours are all contributing to improving the overall effect.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The current initiative coordinated by the Presidency to put in place a Government Wide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System is a crucial development across government. My portfolio has played an important supportive function in the development of the overall system and is also involved in capacity building at the level of individual departments to sustain transversal as well as department specific M&E initiatives.
For its part, the PSC continues to build on its Public Service M&E system which has been in operation since 2000. The system assesses how far departments have gone towards the objective of transformation and will be reviewed in 2006. The findings help Departments in identifying gaps that still remain together with areas where Departments have made noteworthy successes. This exercise culminates in the annual State of the Public Service (SOPS) Report – the most recent that has been released last week.
We face serious challenges in terms of the implementation of recommendations made in various monitoring and evaluation reports. Particularly where the recommendations of the PSC are ignored we will seek to address this by interacting much more closely with the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration. Information and Communications Technology
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) constitutes the single most powerful driver for making public administration more effective and efficient. Since the 2005 Budget Vote Speech, SITA has achieved, among other things, the translation of the eGateway portal into seven languages; the development and pilot phases of Project CabEnet; and the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) has entered Phase II. The IFMS is to be the pre-eminent transversal system within government and will replace about 22 other transversal applications that are running all over government.
The practical application of the Batho Pele principles has led to a successful e-Government consultative process and the forging of a common approach. This year, 2006, we will seek final endorsement of the e-Government Framework from Cabinet. This will be followed by the institutionalisation of the governance framework across all spheres of government.
Since we are celebrating the 50th commemoration of the Women’s march this year, I would like to focus on the situation of women.
Statistics continue to show that whilst the public service has made progress in achieving numeric targets for employment equity in terms of race, women still need to be better represented at leadership levels. At the end of the 2005/06 financial year, the SMS had 6 727 members, of which 2 017 were women (i.e. 30%).
Given the importance of the Public Service as role model of transformation it is critical for us to focus on where women are located in the public service. The Federation of South African Women has long held the position that the failure of women to progress puts a brake on society. This position is widely endorsed by reputable development theory. The situation will therefore be equally true if we deny equity to women – particularly relating to leadership positions – in the South African public service.
The Public Service has strategically aligned itself with the African Union and our UN commitments. Cabinet has approved that 50% gender representation must be achieved at all levels of the SMS by 31 March 2009.
Cabinet approved the development of a longer-term strategy for women’s empowerment and gender equality in the Public Service, the Gender and Governance plan of action. The dimensions of this Plan of Action include equal participation of women and men in decision-making; eliminating gender biases in policy and paradigms; incorporating gender awareness into policies, programmes and institutional transformation; involving men in gender inequality; and developing gender sensitive tools to monitor progress and ensure accountability.
Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS)
Medical aid is one of the standard conditions of service that public servants expect from government as the employer of choice. In order to address some of the problems we have identified in this regard, we have proceeded to register a medical scheme exclusively for government employees. Popularly known as GEMS, this scheme became fully operational by 01 January 2006. Membership has grown rapidly and currently are in excess of 8 500 principal members covering 28 000 dependants.
Skills development
The new context for public service delivery requires a significant investment in skills development to enhance performance, productivity, quality and cost-effectiveness. The demands of a complex and changing economy require higher levels of skills and competence. Public servants will need skills to support people-centred service delivery that is dependent on working with others within and outside of Government.
Performance management
Both the DPSA and the OPSC have been reviewing performance management practices in the public service. Their research shows that there are gaps in the manner in which some departments conduct performance management.
These reviews have resulted in a complete redraft of the performance management and development system for the senior management service, as well as the development of a performance management and development system for voluntary use by departments without a functioning system.
The PSC continues to play a special role in facilitating the evaluation of the performance of Heads of Department (HODs). I am happy to share with you that ratings awarded to HODs for their performance suggest there is a high level of satisfaction with their abilities to provide effective leadership to their respective departments.
Community Development Workers Programme
The Community Development Worker (CDW) programme is one of our key public sector reform interventions to enhance development and the implementation of the Batho Pele principles. The CDWs play a pivotal role in bringing government closer to the people and in ensuring that community members become directly involved in the process of public service delivery.
A total of 1 039 have now been deployed fulltime in provincial departments of government. We have deliberately followed a learnership approach in the training of the CDWs. It allowed for a practical hands-on approach and brought into the system experienced community workers who might have not had the opportunity to formalise their knowledge into recognisable qualifications
African Peer Review Mechanism
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is one of the key initiatives that the African Union has adopted in terms of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
The first round of our participation in the mechanism is fast drawing to a close. We are in the final days of finalising the country-self-assessment report.
The self-assessment process has revealed much for us all to be proud of, as well as identified areas for improvement. As a country we have managed to do a lot in an incredibly short space of time. We are looking forward to the Review Team’s visit to our country from the middle of next month as well as the formal launch of their Review Visit scheduled for the 12 July this year.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Governing Council members for their hard work and their dedication. I also want to thank every South African who made a contribution to this process and trust the pay-off will be improved governance in our country, with spin-offs for the continent as a whole.
This year will also be the fifth year in which we will host the annual Service Delivery Academy which has grown into an event where more than 500 practitioners come together to learn and share success stories.
Twelve thousand copies of our learning journal, Service Delivery Review, will again be distributed to senior managers and practitioners across the public service.
INNOVATION
During the past few years we have worked hard towards institutionalising the Public Sector Innovation Awards. The awards demonstrate the commitment of the CPSI to unlock innovation and provide an enabling environment for innovative service delivery. In September 2005 we awarded five category winners with prizes and trophies for their innovative work in the public sector. I would like to refer you to the printed version of my full address where the category winners of last year are listed.
The awards for this year will again be held in September. The CPSI and Southern Africa Capacity Initiative (SACI) will be partnering to launch a new category Innovative Service Delivery projects involving the SA government in partnership with other SADC governments within the SADC Region where SACI is operating. We call on all who might know of innovative development across the public service to make nominations.
Africa Pulic Service Day It was Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana who stated: “Steadily and firmly we are building up a better and richer life for our people and our continent. The liberation flame … still grows brighter each day. And the time is approaching when a new civilization, a new culture, shall spring up from among our people, and the Nile shall once again flow through the land of science, of art and of literature, wherein will live Black Men of the highest accomplishments.
It is in the spirit of contributing to this African future and African culture that the Public Service and Administration portfolio is involved in an extensive international program.
Africa Public Service Day (APSD) – 23 June - is an entrenched strategic event on the AU calendar. It is a day when we highlight through our celebrations the value and virtue of public service to the African community.
Our 2005 APSD celebration on the theme “The role of the State in the reconstruction of Africa” raised the benchmark for this event. Using satellite link-ups we established connectivity across the country and in the different sites we involved intellectuals and practitioners in an interactive discussion. DVDs and reports from the event have been circulated to all universities and departments and have been shared at NEPAD level.
This year, responding to the prompts from some of our international participants last year, we are more ambitious. On 23 June we will link up across the SADC region for live discussions on service delivery challenges faced by Africa. The theme for APSD 2006 is “Building an ethical public service for improved service delivery in Africa - Towards a proficient, accountable and responsive public service.”
Support to the DRC Government
We have now been involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2004 to assist with their post-conflict reconstruction process. And each of us who have been involved can associate with the author, Barbara Kingsolver when she writes in her book, The Poisonwood Bible, and I quote: “Congo is one long path and I learn to walk”.
Reforming its Public Service is one of the key priorities for the DRC’s transitional government and significant progress has been made in the public service census. This project remains a priority in the run-up to elections set for 30 July this year.
My Ministry will assist in ensuring the longer-term sustainability of the work through the establishment of a permanent census unit in the DRC Ministry and by providing technical support for the implementation of an integrated human resource management and development system. The census database will provide baseline information that is required for future planning purposes, to manage the public service payroll and for maintaining the retirement program.
We have also cooperated with the DRC Ministry in the area of anti-corruption. Support has been provided to build capacity in order to roll out a Code of Conduct for public officials. Further cooperation in the area of anti-corruption has centred on the development of a MOU dealing with the establishment of an anti-corruption framework for the DRC.
We also provide assistance in setting up a National Training Institute for Public Administration (ENA). Progress has been made in the identification of training needs that will meet the requirements of the DRC, as well as the design of a training programme to be implemented prior to the formal establishment of the Institute.
For more information: Clayson Monyela
Cell: 082 806 7405
E-mail: Claysonm@dpsa.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
31 May 2006
Source: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
Title: Fraser-Moleketi: Public Service and Administration Dept Budget Vote 2006/07
The Minister of Public Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi’s Budget Vote Speech, National Assembly
Introduction
In his State of the Nation Address in February 2006, President Thabo Mbeki emphasised the centrality of the work of the Public Service and Administration portfolio, referring to the legitimate expectation that our people have that government will discharge its responsibilities effectively and efficiently, while honouring the precepts of Batho Pele.
We are in the fortunate position of being able to benefit from powerful and well-considered feedback from the population broadly through government’s programme of izimbizo, as well as from the democratic oversight institutions created in terms of our Constitution.
The macro-organisation of the state
The Macro-organisation of the State remains one of the key determinants of public sector effectiveness. Since 1994, Government created a range of public entities (PEs) outside of normal departmental structures. This was done in the absence of an overarching policy and procedural framework, which resulted in fragmented regulatory, governance and accountability frameworks and also diverse conditions of service. We have now designed a Policy Framework, which contains an enhanced governance framework and a draft guide on the appointment of persons to boards of public sector institutions. Following formal approval of the policy framework, during this financial year government will consider introducing legislation regarding public entities.
Single Public Service
Creating the ability for government departments to coordinate their efforts is one of the perennial problems faced in public administration. This government has made significant inroads into providing the necessary institutional mechanisms to achieve this. My portfolio is now focusing on achieving a Single Public Service. At the same time we have introduced a framework to facilitate joint action in programmatic activities.
It is anticipated that the draft Bill on the Single Public Service will be submitted to Cabinet in November 2006, for approval to publish and for public comment. If approved, it is suggested that the consultation period should be completed by the end of March 2007 and we will ensure that such legislation becomes part of the legislative programme in 2007.
To realise the overall objectives of the Single Public Service, attention has to be given to the integration of the front office (points of service delivery) as well as the integration of the back office (information systems). Information and communication technologies are critical to support efficient and effective service delivery both in terms of the front office, as well as the back office.
Joint or crosscutting programmes are a crucial test of integrated and co-operative governance. A framework for managing joint programmes in government has been approved by Cabinet. It is aimed at addressing the weaknesses in the current procedures and processes of planning, budgeting and implementation that are hampered by weak capability to deliver.
Anti-corruption
Corruption has the potential to retard our transformation programme and curb our developmental initiatives by siphoning off public resources that should have been utilised differently. As with previous years we have continued to focus our anti-corruption work on the public sector, the national programme as well as on the regional and global fronts.
Public service departments have been provided with a new guide on how to fully establish minimum anti-corruption capacity. Progress with implementation is good, with over two-thirds of departments complying with the requirements.
At national level the National Anti-corruption Forum has developed and adopted a National Anti-corruption Programme. Government has made R 7,7 million available for its implementation. This Programme is a tangible example of cooperation between the governmental and non-governmental sectors and reflects the commitment of the leaders of these sectors to fight corruption.
A key strategy adopted by government to prevent and combat corruption was the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Hotline1 for the Public Service (NACH) in 2004. Since its establishment, the Hotline has generated 1 681 corruption related and 1 056 service delivery complaints cases for further handling and investigation by departments. The PSC maintains a database of all the cases to ensure that there is follow up with the departments concerned. To sustain the integrity and credibility of the hotline, departments will have to play a much more active and speedy role in the finalization of reported cases to ensure that the public gets the necessary feedback.
In April 2007 we will host a major project for South Africa and Africa: Global Forum V on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity. This premier inter-governmental event will bring together 1 500 government leaders and experts as well as representatives from international organisations and civil society. The Forum provides for the exchange of information and good practice on fighting corruption.
Public sector capacity
Much of the attention of the Executive is focused on capacity considerations. In late 2004, the President asked the Governance and Administration Coordinating Ministers to assess the capacity of our state machinery to implement the agenda of the developmental state.
We have already embarked on interventions to strengthen capacity in the departments of Housing; Health; Education; Justice and Trade and Industry. Our contribution has also now been extended to include capacity assessments for the implementation of Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).
Through the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA), ASGI-SA includes a strong emphasis on skills development. This portfolio is closely involved in JIPSA, with SAMDI playing the lead role in the Project Management initiative sponsored by Old Mutual SA.
One hundred participants will be taken through a 4-module programme during 2007. Of the 22 participants who are in the first stream of the programme, 17 are Black women. We wish these participants, and the others who are going to join the programme over the next three months, everything of the best.
Transformation in the Public Service
It gives me pleasure to announce today that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will be sponsoring a gender mainstreaming programme in SAMDI to the tune of R20 m over the next three years.
The overall objectives of this programme are to improve capacity of Public Servants in departments to mainstream gender considerations into service delivery, internal functions, strategies, program development; increase capacity of departments to conduct their own internal gender training programs; and to enhance capacity of SAMDI to provide gender-mainstreaming training to Public Servants in South Africa and in the region.
People with disabilities remain seriously under-represented in the public service. In March 2006 there was a total of 1 710 employees with disabilities (0.165%) in the South African public service. Several barriers remain to employment for persons with disabilities. These include: prejudice, stereotyping and a lack of understanding about the different types of disability and the capabilities of persons with disabilities; lack of essential job accommodation; physical inaccessibility of workplaces; inadequate public transport system; inaccessible and inadequate training and development; and staffing policies and mechanisms, which do not adequately measure the potential an employee has to satisfy the requirements of the job.
In response to these, Cabinet approved the JobACCESS 2006–2010 strategy for the recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities that prioritises, among other things, access to employment and skills training for unemployed. Cabinet approved the target of a minimum of 2% by March 2008 for PSETA learnerships for unemployed persons with disabilities, addressing the existing barriers to recruitment, promotion and retention of persons with disabilities, better use of information and communication technologies (ICT).
We are experimenting on a continual basis with how to keep our people central to the processes of administration, how to make their interaction with bureaucracy more pleasant and more effective. Initiatives such as signage, making the wearing of name tags compulsory and extending our service hours are all contributing to improving the overall effect.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The current initiative coordinated by the Presidency to put in place a Government Wide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System is a crucial development across government. My portfolio has played an important supportive function in the development of the overall system and is also involved in capacity building at the level of individual departments to sustain transversal as well as department specific M&E initiatives.
For its part, the PSC continues to build on its Public Service M&E system which has been in operation since 2000. The system assesses how far departments have gone towards the objective of transformation and will be reviewed in 2006. The findings help Departments in identifying gaps that still remain together with areas where Departments have made noteworthy successes. This exercise culminates in the annual State of the Public Service (SOPS) Report – the most recent that has been released last week.
We face serious challenges in terms of the implementation of recommendations made in various monitoring and evaluation reports. Particularly where the recommendations of the PSC are ignored we will seek to address this by interacting much more closely with the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration. Information and Communications Technology
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) constitutes the single most powerful driver for making public administration more effective and efficient. Since the 2005 Budget Vote Speech, SITA has achieved, among other things, the translation of the eGateway portal into seven languages; the development and pilot phases of Project CabEnet; and the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) has entered Phase II. The IFMS is to be the pre-eminent transversal system within government and will replace about 22 other transversal applications that are running all over government.
The practical application of the Batho Pele principles has led to a successful e-Government consultative process and the forging of a common approach. This year, 2006, we will seek final endorsement of the e-Government Framework from Cabinet. This will be followed by the institutionalisation of the governance framework across all spheres of government.
Since we are celebrating the 50th commemoration of the Women’s march this year, I would like to focus on the situation of women.
Statistics continue to show that whilst the public service has made progress in achieving numeric targets for employment equity in terms of race, women still need to be better represented at leadership levels. At the end of the 2005/06 financial year, the SMS had 6 727 members, of which 2 017 were women (i.e. 30%).
Given the importance of the Public Service as role model of transformation it is critical for us to focus on where women are located in the public service. The Federation of South African Women has long held the position that the failure of women to progress puts a brake on society. This position is widely endorsed by reputable development theory. The situation will therefore be equally true if we deny equity to women – particularly relating to leadership positions – in the South African public service.
The Public Service has strategically aligned itself with the African Union and our UN commitments. Cabinet has approved that 50% gender representation must be achieved at all levels of the SMS by 31 March 2009.
Cabinet approved the development of a longer-term strategy for women’s empowerment and gender equality in the Public Service, the Gender and Governance plan of action. The dimensions of this Plan of Action include equal participation of women and men in decision-making; eliminating gender biases in policy and paradigms; incorporating gender awareness into policies, programmes and institutional transformation; involving men in gender inequality; and developing gender sensitive tools to monitor progress and ensure accountability.
Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS)
Medical aid is one of the standard conditions of service that public servants expect from government as the employer of choice. In order to address some of the problems we have identified in this regard, we have proceeded to register a medical scheme exclusively for government employees. Popularly known as GEMS, this scheme became fully operational by 01 January 2006. Membership has grown rapidly and currently are in excess of 8 500 principal members covering 28 000 dependants.
Skills development
The new context for public service delivery requires a significant investment in skills development to enhance performance, productivity, quality and cost-effectiveness. The demands of a complex and changing economy require higher levels of skills and competence. Public servants will need skills to support people-centred service delivery that is dependent on working with others within and outside of Government.
Performance management
Both the DPSA and the OPSC have been reviewing performance management practices in the public service. Their research shows that there are gaps in the manner in which some departments conduct performance management.
These reviews have resulted in a complete redraft of the performance management and development system for the senior management service, as well as the development of a performance management and development system for voluntary use by departments without a functioning system.
The PSC continues to play a special role in facilitating the evaluation of the performance of Heads of Department (HODs). I am happy to share with you that ratings awarded to HODs for their performance suggest there is a high level of satisfaction with their abilities to provide effective leadership to their respective departments.
Community Development Workers Programme
The Community Development Worker (CDW) programme is one of our key public sector reform interventions to enhance development and the implementation of the Batho Pele principles. The CDWs play a pivotal role in bringing government closer to the people and in ensuring that community members become directly involved in the process of public service delivery.
A total of 1 039 have now been deployed fulltime in provincial departments of government. We have deliberately followed a learnership approach in the training of the CDWs. It allowed for a practical hands-on approach and brought into the system experienced community workers who might have not had the opportunity to formalise their knowledge into recognisable qualifications
African Peer Review Mechanism
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is one of the key initiatives that the African Union has adopted in terms of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
The first round of our participation in the mechanism is fast drawing to a close. We are in the final days of finalising the country-self-assessment report.
The self-assessment process has revealed much for us all to be proud of, as well as identified areas for improvement. As a country we have managed to do a lot in an incredibly short space of time. We are looking forward to the Review Team’s visit to our country from the middle of next month as well as the formal launch of their Review Visit scheduled for the 12 July this year.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Governing Council members for their hard work and their dedication. I also want to thank every South African who made a contribution to this process and trust the pay-off will be improved governance in our country, with spin-offs for the continent as a whole.
This year will also be the fifth year in which we will host the annual Service Delivery Academy which has grown into an event where more than 500 practitioners come together to learn and share success stories.
Twelve thousand copies of our learning journal, Service Delivery Review, will again be distributed to senior managers and practitioners across the public service.
INNOVATION
During the past few years we have worked hard towards institutionalising the Public Sector Innovation Awards. The awards demonstrate the commitment of the CPSI to unlock innovation and provide an enabling environment for innovative service delivery. In September 2005 we awarded five category winners with prizes and trophies for their innovative work in the public sector. I would like to refer you to the printed version of my full address where the category winners of last year are listed.
The awards for this year will again be held in September. The CPSI and Southern Africa Capacity Initiative (SACI) will be partnering to launch a new category Innovative Service Delivery projects involving the SA government in partnership with other SADC governments within the SADC Region where SACI is operating. We call on all who might know of innovative development across the public service to make nominations.
Africa Pulic Service Day It was Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana who stated: “Steadily and firmly we are building up a better and richer life for our people and our continent. The liberation flame … still grows brighter each day. And the time is approaching when a new civilization, a new culture, shall spring up from among our people, and the Nile shall once again flow through the land of science, of art and of literature, wherein will live Black Men of the highest accomplishments.
It is in the spirit of contributing to this African future and African culture that the Public Service and Administration portfolio is involved in an extensive international program.
Africa Public Service Day (APSD) – 23 June - is an entrenched strategic event on the AU calendar. It is a day when we highlight through our celebrations the value and virtue of public service to the African community.
Our 2005 APSD celebration on the theme “The role of the State in the reconstruction of Africa” raised the benchmark for this event. Using satellite link-ups we established connectivity across the country and in the different sites we involved intellectuals and practitioners in an interactive discussion. DVDs and reports from the event have been circulated to all universities and departments and have been shared at NEPAD level.
This year, responding to the prompts from some of our international participants last year, we are more ambitious. On 23 June we will link up across the SADC region for live discussions on service delivery challenges faced by Africa. The theme for APSD 2006 is “Building an ethical public service for improved service delivery in Africa - Towards a proficient, accountable and responsive public service.”
Support to the DRC Government
We have now been involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2004 to assist with their post-conflict reconstruction process. And each of us who have been involved can associate with the author, Barbara Kingsolver when she writes in her book, The Poisonwood Bible, and I quote: “Congo is one long path and I learn to walk”.
Reforming its Public Service is one of the key priorities for the DRC’s transitional government and significant progress has been made in the public service census. This project remains a priority in the run-up to elections set for 30 July this year.
My Ministry will assist in ensuring the longer-term sustainability of the work through the establishment of a permanent census unit in the DRC Ministry and by providing technical support for the implementation of an integrated human resource management and development system. The census database will provide baseline information that is required for future planning purposes, to manage the public service payroll and for maintaining the retirement program.
We have also cooperated with the DRC Ministry in the area of anti-corruption. Support has been provided to build capacity in order to roll out a Code of Conduct for public officials. Further cooperation in the area of anti-corruption has centred on the development of a MOU dealing with the establishment of an anti-corruption framework for the DRC.
We also provide assistance in setting up a National Training Institute for Public Administration (ENA). Progress has been made in the identification of training needs that will meet the requirements of the DRC, as well as the design of a training programme to be implemented prior to the formal establishment of the Institute.
For more information: Clayson Monyela
Cell: 082 806 7405
E-mail: Claysonm@dpsa.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
31 May 2006
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