Date: 31/08/2005
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Kganyago: Excellence in Public Service Conference
Speech delivered by Deputy Minister of Public Works Mr Ntopile Kganyago MP, to the conference on ,Excellence in the Public Service,
The Programme Director
Ms Jane Kalideen Managing, Director of Kalideen
Management Services
Mr Brian Moore, CEO of Mthimkhulu International Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Introduction I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to address you today. I have been asked to speak on two issues, the first one being strategies to combat corruption. The second issue I have been asked to address today is perhaps more specific, which is to talk about drives towards excellence in service delivery.
In response to the above I have made two assumptions. The first assumption I have made is that the above topics refer to the Public Service as a whole. I have, however, also made a second assumption, which is that in the light of specific references to the Expanded Public Works Programme, a programme that is co-ordinated by my department, I am expected to anchor my speech on the programmes of my department.
As I have indicated, I will therefore with you permission, Mr Programme Director, anchor my contribution to this discussion today on how the Department of Public Works (DPW) has dealt with the eradication of poverty and joblessness. I will also, still anchored at public works, also demonstrate how we are dealing with the challenge of delivering the leadership that is necessary to fulfil our service delivery mandate and at the same time roll back corruption in the public sector.
Strategic objectives of the Department of Public Works
The DPW provides strategic leadership to the construction and property industries to ensure economic growth and development. Our second strategic goal is to ensure that black economic empowerment is promoted after it was declared a national priority. Thirdly we are charged with contribution to the national goal of poverty alleviation and job creation in line with the commitment at the 2003 Growth and Development Summit to halve unemployment by 2014.
Fourthly, we are to contribute to the African Renaissance particularly programmes of the New Partnership for Africa,s Development (NEPAD).
The fifth goal follows the decision by Cabinet Lekgotla in 2003 that, to improve service delivery, all national departments must adopt the concept of Batho Pele (People First). Our sixth goal includes Good Corporate Governance, which is under-pinned by the Public Finance Management Act. Finally we have set ourselves the goal of a Comprehensive Human Resources Plan, which supports the objectives of the Department and those of government.
I have outlined the objectives in order to give you an idea just how we understand our mandate. This will enable me to illustrate how this mandate ties in with the issues we are addressing today. I will also give you concrete examples of how we have played our role against corruption and towards the improvement of service delivery.
I believe that at the heart of service delivery is an efficient and hardworking cadre of employees who are happy in their work environment. I also believe that the workforce will only be happy in their environment if they have been equipped with the necessary tools to perform their responsibilities. For this reason we have at the Department of Public Works spent some time to ensure that the correct skills are matched to the job at hand.
Without this awareness, we would not be able to achieve the strategic goals above. Without the strategic goals we would not know what map to follow in order to fulfil our mandate, and we would not have anything to measure our effectiveness as a department.
In this regard in October 2003 we put in place a new organisational structure and spent time assessing the skills base in the department. This exercise was meant to determine what the overall skills base was in the department and how this fared against our stated objectives. This is because no matter how well-intentioned our strategic objectives are, we cannot meet them unless we have the human resource capacity to match them.
It is well and good to say that we want to land on the moon in 12 months time. But without conducting a proper assessment of what is necessary to be able to reach those heights in terms of finance, time, scientific and engineering expertise, etc, we may well forget about the stated goals.
In our area of operation we have targeted finance, asset management, human resources, project management and professional services as areas in dire need of training.
I have argued that skills training and adequate human resource capacity are some of the prerequisites for proper service delivery. The objective is to link individual performance during a period to the organisational needs and strategic goals of the department.
At management level we have adopted the leadership way which includes among others the development of line managers so they can do their jobs better than before and more effectively.
The theme of skills acquisition and training also underpins one of our biggest anti poverty campaigns, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP provides temporary job opportunities and is one way of bridging the gap between the first and the second economy. The idea is that EPWP beneficiaries will in the long run use their skills and knowledge to start their own businesses or find permanent employment. In that way, they will contribute to the country,
Source: Department of Public Works
Title: Kganyago: Excellence in Public Service Conference
Speech delivered by Deputy Minister of Public Works Mr Ntopile Kganyago MP, to the conference on ,Excellence in the Public Service,
The Programme Director
Ms Jane Kalideen Managing, Director of Kalideen
Management Services
Mr Brian Moore, CEO of Mthimkhulu International Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Introduction I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to address you today. I have been asked to speak on two issues, the first one being strategies to combat corruption. The second issue I have been asked to address today is perhaps more specific, which is to talk about drives towards excellence in service delivery.
In response to the above I have made two assumptions. The first assumption I have made is that the above topics refer to the Public Service as a whole. I have, however, also made a second assumption, which is that in the light of specific references to the Expanded Public Works Programme, a programme that is co-ordinated by my department, I am expected to anchor my speech on the programmes of my department.
As I have indicated, I will therefore with you permission, Mr Programme Director, anchor my contribution to this discussion today on how the Department of Public Works (DPW) has dealt with the eradication of poverty and joblessness. I will also, still anchored at public works, also demonstrate how we are dealing with the challenge of delivering the leadership that is necessary to fulfil our service delivery mandate and at the same time roll back corruption in the public sector.
Strategic objectives of the Department of Public Works
The DPW provides strategic leadership to the construction and property industries to ensure economic growth and development. Our second strategic goal is to ensure that black economic empowerment is promoted after it was declared a national priority. Thirdly we are charged with contribution to the national goal of poverty alleviation and job creation in line with the commitment at the 2003 Growth and Development Summit to halve unemployment by 2014.
Fourthly, we are to contribute to the African Renaissance particularly programmes of the New Partnership for Africa,s Development (NEPAD).
The fifth goal follows the decision by Cabinet Lekgotla in 2003 that, to improve service delivery, all national departments must adopt the concept of Batho Pele (People First). Our sixth goal includes Good Corporate Governance, which is under-pinned by the Public Finance Management Act. Finally we have set ourselves the goal of a Comprehensive Human Resources Plan, which supports the objectives of the Department and those of government.
I have outlined the objectives in order to give you an idea just how we understand our mandate. This will enable me to illustrate how this mandate ties in with the issues we are addressing today. I will also give you concrete examples of how we have played our role against corruption and towards the improvement of service delivery.
I believe that at the heart of service delivery is an efficient and hardworking cadre of employees who are happy in their work environment. I also believe that the workforce will only be happy in their environment if they have been equipped with the necessary tools to perform their responsibilities. For this reason we have at the Department of Public Works spent some time to ensure that the correct skills are matched to the job at hand.
Without this awareness, we would not be able to achieve the strategic goals above. Without the strategic goals we would not know what map to follow in order to fulfil our mandate, and we would not have anything to measure our effectiveness as a department.
In this regard in October 2003 we put in place a new organisational structure and spent time assessing the skills base in the department. This exercise was meant to determine what the overall skills base was in the department and how this fared against our stated objectives. This is because no matter how well-intentioned our strategic objectives are, we cannot meet them unless we have the human resource capacity to match them.
It is well and good to say that we want to land on the moon in 12 months time. But without conducting a proper assessment of what is necessary to be able to reach those heights in terms of finance, time, scientific and engineering expertise, etc, we may well forget about the stated goals.
In our area of operation we have targeted finance, asset management, human resources, project management and professional services as areas in dire need of training.
I have argued that skills training and adequate human resource capacity are some of the prerequisites for proper service delivery. The objective is to link individual performance during a period to the organisational needs and strategic goals of the department.
At management level we have adopted the leadership way which includes among others the development of line managers so they can do their jobs better than before and more effectively.
The theme of skills acquisition and training also underpins one of our biggest anti poverty campaigns, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP provides temporary job opportunities and is one way of bridging the gap between the first and the second economy. The idea is that EPWP beneficiaries will in the long run use their skills and knowledge to start their own businesses or find permanent employment. In that way, they will contribute to the country,
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