Issued by: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
29 August 2000
1. Formation of Senior Management Service (SMS) Ministry for Public Service and Administration identified a need to build a coherent leadership core across the public service. A cadre that will subscribe to professionalism, accountability, good governance, and promote government objectives. A new Senior Management Service (SMS) will be formed.
This would include all Heads of Department and the approximately 3000 other senior public servants. The Provision for the SMS will be made in law.
An institution that is ably supported by skilled managers operating within an appropriate employment framework will foster the ideal of attracting and retaining quality managers. Their talents should be carefully nurtured, and once well developed, be utilised to the best advantage of the State. This will ensure that government apply uniform norms and standards for recruitment and selection, salary determination and conditions of service, performance assessments, career progression, training and development, management of conduct and ethics, and termination of service.
Given the pivotal role of senior managers and high-level professionals in the delivery of public services, the results of a study commissioned by the Department of Public Service and Administration identified the need to introduce new systems, processes and procedures that will:
2. Government Information Technology co-ordination and consolidation vehicle formed Cabinet has approved the formation of a vehicle to co-ordinate and consolidate government IT initiatives. The vehicle will be known as a Government Information Technology Officers Council. The existing Information Technology heads in the National Departments and Provincial Administration will now be a designated Government Information Technology Officer (GITO). A GITO will be charged with leveraging IT to enhance service delivery of their respective State organs, and to ensure that respective departments get maximum value for money.
As Information Technology becomes obsolete at a high pace, government needs a vehicle that will continuously analyse Information Technology trends and influence better IT strategies. The GITO Council will lead the co-ordination and consolidation of government IT initiatives, with a view to enhance service delivery. It will ensure Government IT policy is constantly an ongoing priority; e-Government projects become a success; Economies-of-scale are leveraged; proper Information Technology security; Interoperable systems; and service delivery is enhanced.
The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) will serve as the implementing arm of the GITO Council, and will be led by the Council. The Council together with SITA will maximise efficiency and effectiveness of government service delivery in accordance with the principles of Batho Pele 3. Government introduce an evaluation tool for Head of Departments A systematic framework to enhance the evaluation of Heads of Departments has been introduced by the Ministry for Public Service and Administration. This will ensure feedback to the individual Head of Department and to government on the achievements and priorities. The framework outlines a uniform but flexible structure and process of evaluation. The results of this process will provide key information on the developmental needs of the Heads of Departments. It will provide feedback on organisational effectiveness and performance of the Head of Department.
Finally it will provide a solid basis upon which an Executing Authority can award salary increments and cash bonuses or take the necessary steps in the case of poor performance.
The implementation of this framework will enhance institutional effectiveness and provide a credible procedure that will ensure consistency of evaluation of performance.
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