Key national issues, such as the economy, vacancies in the public sector and the performance of government departments fell under the spotlight on Tuesday at a meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC).

President Jacob Zuma met with premiers and local government representatives to discuss governance and improving the performance of the State at all three levels.

One of the issues discussed was vacancies in the public sector. The Department for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation presented a report on the issue, which found that national and provincial departments had done well in filling vacant posts by the end of the 2010/2011 financial year.

Minister in the Presidency: Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane, said for some vacancies, particularly for highly skilled positions such as engineers, it had been difficult to find candidates.

“At national level, as of end of March 2011, a relatively small number, 8 600 out of a total of 300 182, of funded posts were calculated to be available to be filled. At provincial level, there were also a limited number, 7 000 out of a total of 862 750, funded vacant posts available.

Local government has filled most of its funded vacant posts over the past year,” he said.

Zuma called on the departments to work harder to find the scarce skills necessary to improve service delivery.

The PCC also discussed the results from the Forum of South African Directors General (FOSAD) monitoring of the administrative and managerial performance of national and provincial departments. FOSAD monitored the departments to ensure that weaknesses were addressed.

“The Directors-General have to urgently put in place service delivery standards and service delivery improvement plans, complete disciplinary processes within reasonable timeframes, respond to cases reported on the anti-corruption hotline managed by the Public Service Commission, and ensure that suppliers of goods and services to government are paid within 30 days in terms of the commitments we have made to the public,” Zuma said.

FOSAD is expected to ensure that the directives are implemented.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan also briefed the PCC on the global economic situation.

He warned that the global economy was uncertain and turbulent, and that the South African economy could be further impacted if the situation worsened. This could result in more uncertainty in the economic and revenue environment, the minister said.

“It is important for us to understand that the bleak global financial situation impacts on us as a country, and that we must find means to cushion ourselves,” Zuma said.

The PCC also noted that government expenditure needed to be curbed.

With regard to provincial spending and budgets, it was noted that areas such as projected overspending on personnel; slow spending of capital budgets and likely under-expenditure, and poor budgeting, especially for infrastructure projects, needed to be improved.