Date: 24/02/2006
Source: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
Title: Fraser-Moleketi:Senior Management Service Imbizo


  Address by Minister of Public Service and Administration, Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi at a Senior Management Imbizo in the University of Free State

Premier Marshoff,
MECs,
Councillors,
Senior managers

It is quite fortuitous that that the Senior Management Service (SMS) workshop takes place at this point. This year is a very important year on the South African calendar. This is a year during which we remember a number of important historic occasions and people that inspired our journey to where we are today, including Ingrid Jonker, who wrote: "Die kind is nie dood nie ...die kind lig sy vuiste teen sy moeder wat Afrika skreeuâ-oe. Die kind wat net wou speel in die son by Nyanga als orals. Die kind wat 'n man geword het trek deur die ganse Afrika. Die kind wat 'n reus geword het reis deur die hele wêreld. Sonder 'n pas.

The event today, in particular the declaration by members of the SMS, shows that we are committed to service delivery. The importance of this symbolism is how it translates into reality. One other important step would be to include the declaration in Performance Contracts. I would like to congratulate Premier Marshoff on her address to the provincial legislature on 10 February 2006. Clearly the Free State has made great progress towards achieving synergy between and amongst all spheres of government. Particularly impressive is the way in which the province has already integrated many national programmes and projects into provincial programmes.

I would like to strongly support the introduction of the cluster system at provincial level, with clusters mirroring the national cluster system. This can only smooth the way for the effective implementation of national and provincial programmes and I understand that the cluster system will soon be extended to local government as well. This together with the conscious efforts you are making to align the National Spatial Development Perspective, the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) will ensure the integration of government policies and effective co-ordination in their implementation.

While we applaud your efforts on many fronts, we must also take heed of the new mandates and strategic issues emerging from the January Cabinet Lekgotla and President Mbeki's State of the Nation Address.

You will be aware that the major thrust of the January Lekgotla and the President's State of the Nation Address was our determination to create accelerated and shared growth for the country as a whole through Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (Asgisa). The President pointed out in his address that "Asgisa is not intended to cover all elements of a comprehensive development plan. Rather it consists of a limited set of interventions that are intended to serve as catalysts to accelerated and shared growth and development."

The underlying intention behind Asgisa, as with many national flagships programmes in which provinces are asked to participate, is to galvanise into action a broad range of role players