Minister of Public Service and Administration Budget speech & response by DA and ANC

Minister of Public Service and Administration, Mr Ngoako Ramatlhodi, gave his Budget Vote Speech on 11 May 2016.

______________________________________________________________________

Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration, Ms. Ayanda Dlodlo
Honourable Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Ms Peace Mabe
Chairperson of the Presidential Remuneration Review Commission, Justice Kenneth Mthiyane
Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Adv Richard Sizani
Chairperson of the Government Employees Medical Scheme – Mr. Colbert Rikhotso
Directors-General and Heads of MPSA entities
Honourable Members
Distinguished guests
Fellow South Africans

Thank you very much for affording us this opportunity to address the House during the consideration of the Budget Vote of the Ministry for the Public Service and Administration.

The Deputy Minister will speak to the House on the important matters of the work she is doing on behalf of the Ministry, such as her role as the Special Envoy to the Open Government Partnership, work on the National School of Government as well as efforts to intensify innovation in the public service through the Centre for Public Service Innovation. 

Honourable Chairperson:

As we celebrated 22 Years of Freedom on the 27th of April, allow me to quote the founding father of our democracy, former President Nelson Mandela, when he said, “We dedicate this day to all the heroes and heroines in this country and the rest of the world who sacrificed in many ways and surrendered their lives so that we could be free.” (close quote) We dare not forget those who paid with their lives so that you and I can enjoy the fruits of a free country.

We want to take this opportunity on behalf of government as a whole to pay tribute to one of the heroes of our liberation struggle, Advocate Bram Fischer. As you are all aware, Adv Bram Fischer refused privileges of the elite environment he grew up in, and instead chose to fight for freedom and democracy in our country. He is indeed a hero and a great servant of our people whose immense contribution in the struggle against apartheid is engraved in our hearts.   

The year 2016 marks 20 years since the first democratic government established the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to lead the transformation of the Public Service. We are not only celebrating DPSA’s establishment but also 20 Years since our country adopted its Constitution.

As you will recall, the democratic government led by the African National Congress (ANC), inherited a fragmented structure of Public Service that was made of, among others, homelands and self-governing states. 

The establishment of the DPSA was to ensure that we transform the Public Service, and revamp human resource policies, regulations governing the Public Service, information technology management and policies relating to service delivery.

Since 1996, great strides have been made to have a Public Service that is service delivery-oriented, people-centred and driven by the Values and Principles of Batho Pele – Putting People First. A Public Service that promotes a high standard of professional ethics, a Public Service that promotes efficient, economic and effective use of resources, a Public Service that is development-oriented, a Public Service that is accountable and a Public Service that responds to the needs of the people and encourages the public to participate in policy making – this is the Public Service we built in the past 20 years as mandated by the Constitution.

This is the same supreme law of the Republic that gives rights to citizens to voice their dissatisfaction through various means including protesting against the manner in which Services are delivered to communities. 

However, the recent spate of violence and burning of schools and other state property in Vuwani in Limpopo can never be justified no matter how aggrieved the community is. As the Ministry for Public Service and Administration, We are outraged and thus condemn this despicable conduct as it is adversely affecting learning in schools and disrupting delivery of services. As government we are putting into place all mechanims to ensure that learning is restored as a matter of urgency in all affected areas. 

Honourable Chairperson:

It is my pleasure to inform the House that on 13 November 2015, the DPSA held the third successful National Batho Pele Excellence Awards. The Awards serve to recognise public servants who are selfless, dedicated, committed and who go the extra mile in servicing the citizens. The purpose of the Awards is to entrench the transformation and professionalisation of the Public Service.

In our midst today, we have the 2015 Best Frontline Service Delivery Employee Award winner from the South African Police Service in the Free State Province, Sergeant Mpho Mgogodlana (please rise).

Her award was for the dedication she has demonstrated in living and abiding by the Batho Pele Principles and the Value Statement of We Belong, We Care, We Serve.

In 2014 the Mangaung police station experienced a high rate of crime in Sector 4 which consists of industrial and residential areas.  Sergeant Mgogodlana volunteered to make police services visible in these areas. She profiled a database of 200 firms, established a forum for business people, a neighbourhood watch and instituted frequent police patrols which ultimately reduced house burglaries in the vicinity. 

She utilised the departmental efficiency Index as a general police monitoring tool for complaint handling. She encouraged the community during sector meetings to lodge complaints if they were not happy with the services they receive.

This is the ideal Public Servant the people of South Africa look up to.  Please join me in congratulating Sergeant Mgogodlana on her dedication and achievement.

Honourable Chairperson:

As government, we are not only prioritising service delivery to our citizens but we equally care about the well-being of the Public Servants themselves, because without healthy and active Public Servants, our service delivery goals cannot be achieved.

As a caring employer, government would like to see all public servants owning a house. Government is implementing the Government Employee Housing Scheme (GEHS) to assist employees – especially lower income public servants, to access home loans and other finance from lenders who participate in the Scheme.

• The implementation of the Government Employees Housing Scheme commenced on
• 27 May 2015 following the signing of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining

• Council (PSCBC) Resolution 7 of 2015.

To date, a Project Management Office has been established in the DPSA and is responsible for the operation of the Scheme.  Also, a dedicated Call Centre has been set-up to support employees who wish to enroll with the Scheme.

The Scheme will improve the socio-economic conditions of public service employees by supporting, educating and advising them on housing options and opportunities, and increasing their home-ownership, thus reducing asset poverty.

I am pleased to announce that the enrolment of Public Servants into the Scheme has already commenced, and that roadshows are now being conducted in all provinces to ensure that employees receive as much information as possible about the Scheme.

Honourable Chairperson:

In 2006 our government established the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS). The Scheme continues to make a difference to our people at large. In the years the Scheme has been in existence, it has been a pioneer in the medical industry, garnering impressive acclaim and recognition. As the second largest medical scheme in South Africa, GEMS remains the fastest growing medical scheme with more than 1.7 million lives covered. 

As at the end of March 2016, the Scheme had covered close to 700 thousand principal members and 1,7 million beneficiaries overall.

In terms of accessibility; GEMS has made considerable inroads in covering lower level employees, with 45% of levels 1 to 5 employees now covered by the Scheme. Approximately R1 in every R5 spent on private healthcare is spent by GEMS, and approximately R1 out of every R10 spent on healthcare (private and public) in South Africa is spent by GEMS.

The Scheme’s key priorities going forward include :

• Reducing medical scheme costs through strategic sourcing and specialist networks;
• Promoting Member retention; and
• Introducing workplace-based exercise and health programme for public service employees

Honourable Chairperson:

After extensive consultations, the Public Administration Management Act was signed into law by the President in December 2014. This was a complex process which ran over a number of years, but was a necessary step in our quest towards ensuring seamless service delivery by all spheres of government within the values of public administration enshrined in our Constitution.

During this last financial year, we focused on the development of the first set of regulations to give effect to certain provisions in the Act. As a start, we prioritised the development of regulations dealing with the important matter of prohibiting public servants from doing business with the state. I am pleased to report that we have completed these draft regulations and that we will soon be releasing them for public comment.

As the Public Service we need to start doing more with less, because taxpayers want to see efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery. We are cognisant that productivity in our public sector is just as important to the economic performance of the country.  During this financial year, we will address gaps that exist in our performance measurement instruments.

In this regard, amendments to the Public Service Regulations dealing with performance management in the Public Service were published for comment during the 2015/16 financial year. These Regulations will be promulgated during this financial year and departments will be required to amend their policies and systems for implementation during the 2017/18 financial year.

To emphasise the contribution of public sector productivity to the overall economic performance of South Africa, the DPSA has also developed a public sector productivity measurement instrument through an extensive consultative process with stakeholders in and outside government. Amongst the many benefits of this measurement instrument is that it strengthens the service delivery value chain by identifying possible blockages in service delivery operations within departments.

To date, we have tested this measurement instrument in the provincial Departments of Basic Education in the Mpumalanga Province; Health in the North West Province; and Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs in the Limpopo Province. 

The findings emanating from these pilot studies have enabled us to engage these departments on ways to further improve on their current levels of productivity.

In 2014/15, the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) started with specific initiatives to explore ways to improve service delivery. This led to amongst others, the development of an Operations Management Framework and Methodology.

In the main the framework and methodology links departmental strategic plans with their operations through a service delivery model, the design of the operations through mapping the necessary delivery processes, developing standard operating procedures and service standards. Focus is also placed on day-to-day operations planning and control; and  on how to analyse and improve operations on an ongoing basis. 

Honourable Chairperson:

Since the development of the framework and methodology, the DPSA has engaged in an advocacy programme as well as building capacity in selected departments to enable implementation of the framework.

Those departments are: the Departments of Education, Health and Human Settlements, Social Development, and Transport in both national and provincial spheres, as well as the national Departments of Labour Minerals, Energy and Trade and Industry.

In the 2016/17 financial year we will continue to assist selected departments to implement the Operations Management framework and methodology in order to improve systems and processes which ultimately lead to continuous, improved service delivery to the citizens.

Perhaps some might ask why we seem to be focusing a lot on these methodologies and tools. This is a very conscious decision on our part. The transformation of public service delivery as required by the Batho Pele principles cannot simply be achieved through promotional and advocacy work on these principles. Instead, attention should also be paid to operational back-office processes that support service delivery

Honourable Chairperson:

To address issues related to the abuse and management of incapacity leave and ill-health retirement benefits the Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health Retirement (PILIR) was developed.

The PILIR generally assists departments in the professional investigation and management of incapacity leave and ill-health retirement applications. It also assists departments in the application of the current sick leave dispensation and the management and investigation of potential ill-health retirements.

The PILIR Model has evolved over several years from its inception during the pilot study. Following its implementation and based on feedback received from a range of key stakeholders as well as our own observations, we decided to undertake a review of PILIR to validate if the model is effective. 

Based on the findings and recommendations of the review report, the PILIR model will be adapted accordingly.

• The National Development Plan (NDP), under the topic “Building a Capable and
• Developmental State," observed the importance of delegation and proposed that
• greater and more consistent delegations supported by appropriate systems of
• support and oversight, be developed and staff at all levels have the authority,
• competency and support they need to do their jobs.

To advance the proposals in the NDP, Cabinet approved the Principles of Public Administration and Financial Delegations and minimum levels of delegations in terms of the Public Service Act in August 2013.  Also, the Minister for Public Service and Administration (MPSA) issued a Directive on Public Administration and Management Delegations in August 2014.

The Directive on Delegations applies to all national and provincial departments and government components listed in the schedules to the Public Service Act.

In order to ensure compliance, the DPSA conducted 33 workshops with national and provincial departments to support the implementation of the standardised delegation principles and templates set out in the Directive on Delegations.

As a Public Service, our aim is to promote the minimum levels of Delegations, as approved by Cabinet, from Executive Authorities to Heads of Department and other senior officials so as to promote efficient and effective delegations and a more stable political administrative interface.

• During 2016/17 financial year, we will focus on continuous monitoring and annual evaluation of the status of compliance with the Directive on Delegations.

• The DPSA is in the process of compiling a report on compliance with the Directive on Delegations as at 31 March 2016 which should be concluded by 31 May 2016.

• The report will include recommendations for corrective measures that may be taken which may include aspects in respect of failure to comply with a Directive as set out in Section 16A of the Public Service Act.

Honourable Chairperson:

The Vote we are presenting today also includes the Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC is an independent oversight institution established in terms of Chapter 10 of the Constitution.

The Commission is addressing some of the key issues raised in the NDP such as building a capable, career-oriented and professional Public Service. 

In this regard, on 23 March 2016, the PSC jointly with the University of South Africa (UNISA) hosted a very successful inaugural public lecture entitled “Building a capable, career-oriented and professional Public Service for a developmental state as stated in the National Development Plan Vision 2030.”

As Minister for Public Service and Administration, I had the honour of delivering the keynote address at the event and used the opportunity to highlight to a wider audience of participants the values and principles governing public administration, as contained in Section 195 of the Constitution

Through its oversight reports, the PSC has continued to advise the Executive as well as Parliament on areas of progress and areas that undermine the ability of the state to deliver. In order to address the professionalisation of the public service, and in response to some of the PSC’s findings, we have issued Ministerial Directives on competency assessment and on compulsory capacity development, mandatory training days and minimum entry requirements for the Senior Management Service.

The directive, among others, prescribes minimum entry requirements, such as minimum years of experience.

Following input from the PSC and other stakeholders, the Minister has agreed to amend the entry requirements for Heads of Department or Directors-General to 8 – 10 years of experience at a senior managerial level (5 years of which must be with any Organ of State as defined in the Constitution).

The Ministry for Public Service and Administration will continue to support the Commission to ensure that it carries out its mandate as an oversight body. In this regard, we will work the Commission as it proceeds with the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill.

The Bill mainly seeks to streamline the administrative processes for the appointment of an Acting Chairperson and how the term of office of a Commissioner should be renewed to the attention of the Minister. Parliament is processing the PSC Amendment Bill to deal with these challenges.

Honorable Members, within the current economic environment, the PSC has to think creatively on how it can do more with less. The Forum of Institutions Supporting Democracy is working with the Speaker in clarifying the location of the budget of Institutions Supporting Democracy. They are also looking at resource sharing, such as the accessibility of office accommodation to other Institutions Supporting Democracy, to save costs.

In conclusion, Honourable Chairperson:

It is an open secret that the current economic conditions have an impact not only in South Africa but across the world.  However, despite limited resources, the Public Service, will not abandon our service delivery commitments.  As the Minister of Finance indicated during the Budget Speech in February this, it is time to tighten the belt and work within the means at our disposal.

Former President Mandela once said, “Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.” (close quote)

As the Public Service, we are dedicated to what we do and will seek to do more with the less  Working with our citizens and government departments, we will create a better life for all because Together, We Move South Africa Forward.

This is our commitment as a Public Service – We Belong to our people, We Care about our people, We Serve our people.

I thank you.

__________________________________________________________________

Deputy Minister Ayanda Dlodlo: Public Service and Administration Dept Budget Vote 2016/17

Speech delivered by the Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo, MP, on the occasion of the Budget Vote of the Ministry of Public Service and Administration, Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, Cape Town

Honourable Chairperson of the House,
Minister for Public Service and Administration, Adv. Ngoako Ramatlhodi,
Honourable Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
All protocols observed.

We deliver this Budget Vote for the Ministry of Public Service and Administration at a significant juncture in our democracy. It was during this month 20 years ago, that the people of South Africa adopted the country's first ever democratic Constitution.

This progressive Constitution which is still lauded the world over, was the sum of the collective wisdom of the people of South Africa and was arrived at by general accord. It is a Constitution derived from the many decades of the struggle for liberation of our people and the international solidarity we received that led to the demise of apartheid.

It was in this, one of the largest public participation programmes ever carried out in South Africa that the process of drafting the Constitution which involved many South Africans occurred.

Pioneering this public participation programme was the June, 26, 1955 assembly in Kliptown which saw the adoption of the Freedom Charter. The Charter was unique in being the first time ever that the people of South Africa converged to formulate their own vision of an alternative society.

The Freedom Charter has helped model our public participation architecture and a number of programmes have emanated from that experience.

This nature of public participation and a participatory democracy witnessed in these processes, is an intrinsic one which is now embedded in how we approach our work as the public service.

Honourable Chairperson,

Over the past year we have undertaken substantial work in improving the level of citizen satisfaction with services across the spheres of government. As part of the Imbizo programme, we have embarked on a public participation initiative in the Eden District of the Southern Cape, a district that covers Bitou, George, Hessequa, Kannaland, Knysna, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn local municipalities. Our approach has been quite focused.

Instead of visiting different communities in widespread localities during the quarterly visits, we have invested and intensified our energies in getting to the root of the issues within this district and resolving these issues, hand-in-hand with the community affected and other partners both in the public service and the public sector.

From these engagements we have learnt that the future of the public service lies not only in interdepartmental collaboration, but also intergovernmental cooperation.

It is crucial moving ahead that we foster a spirit of a government that is united in its action, one that is transparent and consultative and whose machinery works seamlessly to uplift our communities. This will position government a step ahead as it seeks to make a real, meaningful and definitive change in the lives of our people. We are after all a unitary state.

Honourable Members,

In our budget vote speech to this house in July 2014, we undertook to strengthen the capacity of the Community Development Workers Programme, the CDWP to serve as an early warning system providing alerts on communities in distress as a result of poor service delivery.

The revised Public Service Regulations that Minister Ramatlhodi has spoken at length about will be an enabling tool for the Community Development Workers Programme. These will serve as an important legal foundation for the programme as they make provision for the development of a framework that structures the work of the programme.

Once developed, the framework will provide a platform for the regular communication of governmental and other information to communities in an accessible manner.

CDWs continue to make an impactful difference in communities and this is exemplary in the case of Alice Ledwaba, a CDW from ward 11 in Limpopo who intervened in the case of a young poor boy aged 7 who was given a new nose and mouth after a tooth ache problem completely destroyed his face. The young boy's pride and confidence were restored after an operation was performed at the Steve Biko Steve Biko Memorial Hospital. Due to her intervention, the family was also given a house as their living conditions in a shack were not good.

This is just one of the examples we share as we embark on further work to strengthen the programme and its visibility in the communities.

Honourable Chairperson,

I commissioned a study conducted by the DPSA to resolve a number of issues that impacted on the effectiveness of the Thusong programme.

A business case on the institutional arrangements for the management and coordination of the Thusong Service Centre Programme and a funding model for the Thusong Service Centres have been developed. This work has been modelled on international best-practice and benchmarking of integrated service centres.

I am pleased to inform this house that this study has been completed and we will soon present recommendations to Cabinet on this matter. I am hopeful that with this important research and the far reaching recommendations that have been made in the reports, that we will commence the journey of ensuring that this key programme of government is better governed and resourced.

Honourable Members,

As host country to the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM Secretariat, I am pleased to report to this house that in January 2016, the African Union APR Forum Summit unanimously endorsed the appointment of Dr Eddy Maloka as the new Chief Executive Officer.

As one of the first countries to have been reviewed in the APRM, South Africa will keep up with its trend of adhering to the principles of the APRM as we undergo our Second Review.

Honourable Chair,

We began this Africa Month on an extremely high note with the successful hosting of the meeting of the Open Government Partnership Steering Committee on 4 May, and the 3rd Africa Regional Meeting as the Open Government Partnership of South Africa on 5-6 May in Cape Town. This Regional Meeting was hosted under the theme "Open Government for Sustainable Development in Africa".

The significance of this Regional Meeting has been the ability to attract small civil society organisations that were initially not part of the OGP. These grassroots embedded civil society organisations articulate the voice of local communities which are often side-lined in such deliberations. This inclusive approach is in line with our commitment as the Lead Chair of the OGP, to broaden participation and include the vulnerable sectors of our society in the partnership.

The Regional Meeting also featured an important discussion on the role of legislatures in the Open Government Partnership. I am a champion for this initiative because I truly believe legislatures are the true representatives of the people, and that their role in open government will help to deepen and expand the effectiveness of the review process and foster deeper levels of accountability from governments.

During the meeting we also launched South Africa's 3rd OGP Country Action Plan. This is an ambitious plan, one that introduces a level of innovation in how we address the daily issues that affect our people. A copy of the plan will be circulated.

Honourable Members,

I am pleased to report that the Centre for Public Service Innovation, the CPSI, has reached a point where replication, even across sectors, and up-scaling of innovations are taking root.

In response to the CPSI's plea for improved support towards funding innovation, we have secured, additional donor funding of R50 million over the next 5 years to fund the up-scaling of innovative models and solutions that improve service delivery.

We will in this financial year conclude the development of a model to manage energy more efficiently in hospitals, bringing about significant savings that can be used to improve hospital infrastructure.

Honourable Chairperson,

In line with the Annual Performance Plan tabled in Parliament in March this year, the NSG anticipates providing training to 20,000 learners in the areas of leadership, management and administration and a further 32,600 newly appointed public servants on the compulsory induction programme.

Through this outreach plan, the NSG will also generate revenue to support its training operations to a projected sum of R151 million in line with its cost recovery model and financial sustainability plan.

The NSG has identified a suite of compulsory programmes for public servants in the areas of human resource management, financial management, supply chain management and monitoring and evaluation that must be prescribed and taught on-line.

The NSG has engaged former Directors-General regarding the Executive Induction Programme (for salary levels 15-16) and will be preparing for the piloting of this programme in this financial year. The use of former Directors-General is part of a Cabinet-approved strategy for the utilisation of serving and retired public servants as educators and trainers, to provide the NSG with the leverage to reach learners across the components of the state.

This year we will commence implementing compulsory capacity development, mandatory training days and minimum entry requirements for the Senior Management Service (SMS).

Honourable Chairperson,

We have embarked upon a number of reforms that will ensure that the future we envision through the National Development Plan is a reality firmly etched in the core of the existence and being of every single citizen of this country.

Ours is to ensure that we build a capable public service, orientated towards meeting the developmental aspirations of our people. This is a constitutional imperative we dare not fail to realise.

Honourable Members,

As I conclude this vote delivered in the period leading up to Youth Month, I take this opportunity to honour the youth of June 16, 1976. We honour them as we celebrate this year, 40 years of the Soweto uprising which marked a turning point in the pace and vigour of our people's quest to national liberation.

This was an incredibly audacious generation, which 44fought with a fearless fervour. We remain indebted to the likes of Tebello Motopanyane, Tsietsi Mashinini and Murphy Morobe amongst others who led a revolution that would result in the freedom that we celebrate today.

It will be with the same level of zeal displayed by this youth that we tackle our duties in the coming year as the public service.

We do so reminded that the Constitution recognises the intrinsic worth of all human beings, and this begins with realising the right to basic services, in order to restore the dignity of all our people.

I thank you.

__________________________________________________________________
Responses

 

Department of Public Service and Administration Budget Vote Speech by Hon M.L.D. Ntombela ANC

Thank you Honourable Chairperson.
Honourable Minister of DPSA, Advocate Ngoako Ramathlodi
Honourable Deputy Minister of DPSA, Ms. Ayanda Dhlodhlo
Honourable Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Ms. Peace Mabe
Honourable Members of Parliament
Comrades and friends, I greet you all.

Umhlahlandlela weqembu i African National Congress (ANC) ukubeka kucace ukuthi sizibophezele kwimigomo nemibono yethu yokuba ngungqa-phambili ekuguquleni isimo sezimpilo zabantu bakithi eSouth Africa sibe ngcono kakhulu kunakuqala.

Through our skills development initiatives, we will turn every Public Sector work place into a training space and develop a conscientious public service.

If I were to rewind our memories back to the era between the 1980 and the 1990s, one would have never thought for a moment that the DPSA would be what it is today, after the amalgamation of all departments under the homeland system.
This was the mammoth task, but a feather in the cap of the ANC-led government.

This Budget Vote presentation is a continuation of an honest attempt to address what we inherited under the apartheid dispensation and also charts a way forward as we contribute towards the development of our democratic state.

The Agenda 2063 calls for an African Skills Revolution. The AU Commission requested the African Capacity Building Foundation to conduct a study on key critical technical skills and capacities required for the implementation of the African Vision.

So, the establishment of the National School of Government (NSG) is but one of these strategic objectives to realise our vision.

The NSG intends to train close to 30 000 newly appointed public servants on the Compulsory Induction Programme and monitor its outcomes, and further train 20 000 persons in line with courses and programmes on the NSG course matrix.

Ikomiti lisishayela ihlombe isenzo se NSG sokusebenzisa abantu abanolwazi olunzulu kanye nabaqeqeshekile, ukwabelana ngamakhono kanye nolwazi kubafundi. Lokhu kuncomeka kakhulu ngoba kwehlisa izindleko ezinkulu zokukhokhela ama consultants.

As an integral part of its mission, the NSG will assist a number of unemployed youth graduates to be orientated in the public service and also facilitate the participation of the public service interns in the programme. This, Chairperson, is indeed in line with National Development Plan (NDP) vision that by 2030, South Africa's public servants should be skilled, professional and accountable to the communities they serve.

Chairperson, the PC has a very high regard for the NSG and places a high premium on it. So, the conscious development and enhancement of the NSG as a thought leader across the public and private sectors, cannot not be overemphasised.

This effort to realize a well-trained and highly skilled public service cadre through the NSG as a conduit is commendable and it also puts a meaning to the demographic dividend and opportunities that this dividend presents to Africa, and particularly South Africa.

The department is geared towards supporting government departments in appointing 20 000 youth into learnership, internship, and artisan programmes. Since 2009, close to 140 000 young people have benefited in these developmental programmes and continue to do so. This also gives them an opportunity of getting absorbed into the system; thus enhancing the DPSA as a career of choice.

Among other things, the rollout of compulsory executive programmes for senior management has re-ignited the motivation for the achievement of an efficient and professional service.

Modula Setulo, ke tseba hantle hore ho na le balakaletsiba tla ema monahona mona to come and complain like stuck records about the bloated public service, forgetting that this government is committed to building a Public Service cadre who is always committed.

For the record, the Department had promised the Portfolio Committee (PC) that it would amend the Public Service Regulations in order to address certain gaps in the legislation, and it has delivered on its promise.

In its quest to transform the public service into an effective, efficient and the essential part of a capable developmental state, it is worth mentioning that that the DPSA continues to play its part to ensure that young people of our country get the exposure and experience they need at the workplace.

The amended regulations will empower the Minister of Public Service and Administration to ensure that more and more employees, within the public service, declare their financial interests. The regulations also deal with measures for prohibiting the re-employment of officials that were dismissed due to misconduct, a matter which has always been a concern to all of us. It is for this reason that the National General Council (NGC) of the ANC reaffirmed its resolve to fight corruption and such tendencies at all levels of the public service.

I expect the opposition to acknowledge this good effort, but of course, it depends on their principles of fairness.

Following the commitment to the PC, the Revised Regulations are now firmly in place to implement the legislative amendments to the Public Service Act of 1994 and the Public Administration Act 11 of 2014. All legislative processes were done efficiently to come up with this legislation. The public participation process was conducted and the views of the people were incorporated adequately. It is only a relatively strong public service, and by extension, the government
with the strong legitimacy base like this one led by the ANC, that can really involve people in policy matters. South Africa, as a developing state, has put in place policies which make the public service an institution of the people's
power.

Chairperson, another milestone is the Productivity Management and Measurement Framework. This framework is firmly entrenched so that it can be determined by all and whether or not the public service is efficient regarding service delivery. Productivity management helps to ensure that every target or milestone set is followed up, to monitor if its progress is sufficient or not. And if not, whether any interim measures can be put into place before it is too late to salvage a situation. It keeps the employees on track, in this manner, value for money and gainful employment can be realised.

Honourable Chairperson, as I conclude, I must acknowledge that yes, we still have some challenges, considering where we come from. There are still issues which need our undivided attention, like ill-health retirements and GEMS, which should be dealt with expeditiously and decisively.

The committee clarified the reporting line of the Government Employees Medical Aid Scheme and will, in this current financial year, invite GEMS to account on its activities of ensuring better healthcare to public servants.

Ha ke qedella Modula Setulo ya kgabane, ke re hae moo- o mong feela mokgatlo o tsebang mathata a lona, o tsebang moo le tswang teng, o tsebang moo re yang teng. Ke ANC feela!

Ha ho poho pedi sakeng le na. Ke ANC feela! Voutela ANC! Re shota ka wena feela.

The ANC supports this Budget Vote.

I thank you.

Speech by Hon BP Mabe, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration as well as Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, on the occasion of Budget Vote 10 Debate

Honourable Chairperson.
Minister for Department of Public Service and Administration, the Honourable Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi.
Deputy Minister Honourable Ayanda Dlodlo.
Members of Parliament.
Chairperson of Public Service Commission and all Commissioners present
The Directors General of the DPSA, and its entities
Ladies and gentlemen

We have gathered here during an important time in the political calendar, not only of our country but for the entire African Continent. In May 1963, the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) which later became the African Union (AU) was formed. Its main objective was to among others to defend the interests of Africa and to promote democratic principles. The African national congress is still alive to this objectives. As Africans of different shades, we ought to take a moment and celebrate the 53rd anniversary achievements of this giant organisation. Certainly, despite challenges we are faced with, Africa is rising for unity and prosperity! Rise Africa Rise !!!!

Let me cite the words by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma when she said "By adopting Agenda 2063, we have boldly taken the path to reclaim our past, and claim our future. If YOUR dreams don`t scare you, they are not big enough. We choose peace, unity and prosperity."

Honourable Chairperson, the Department of Public Service and Administration is an engine of the public service that ensures the proper functioning of all government departments within the confine of the law and ensure delivery of services to the people of this beloved country.

We need to remind ourselves where this country is coming from, lets appreciate the current situation and focus on the future development for achieving a better life for all. In 1993, an interim Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was established which indicates that "there shall be a public service for the Republic, structured in terms of law to provide effective public administration". On the 08th May 1996, Chapter 10 of the Constitution envisaged the kind of the public administration we aspired. The public service that the constitution envisioned is the one governed and guided by basic values and principles of the public administration

Honourable Chairperson, on the 10th May 1994, South Africans celebrated the inauguration of the first black President of the democratic country. Since 1994, our people started to be closer with government, legislatures and participate openly in the development affecting their lives. Before the dawn of the democracy, black people were not allowed to participate in any legislative forms or policies of government. The ANC led government has corrected such wrong practice, and now we talk about inclusive government.

This year we celebrate the 22th anniversary of our hard earned democracy. To date the ANC-led government has made remarkable strides in our quest to turn around the fortunes of our people towards a better life for all. We remain cognisant that the majority of our people, hopes and aspirations for a better life will be realised as our government delivers on its mandate. We also remain confident that there is no other government that can outperform the ANC government.

The ANC led government administration has delivered services to the millions of South Africans. We cannot expect this government to address triple challenges in 22 years. However, we must acknowledge that more has been done under the difficult circumstances.

The ANC led government tabled a pro-poor budget in particularly focusing on the poorest of the poor and how to address the triple challenge. Implementation of the budget is key to maximising benefit to the poor. The ANC led government has in the past years restructured the administration and introduced various administrative procedures and measures to strengthen the delivery capacity of the state. In particular the delivery arm had been strengthened to ensure that the poor reality changes for the better.

An important part of implementation of the budget is to include the community during the various phases of delivery. Community centeredness is a key pillar of our constitution and in this regard all state departments during implementation of the budget must consult with the community. The budget approved by Parliament is a people budget and therefore during implementation must involve the community.

Today, more people are way far better and they are enjoying the fruits of democracy.

Hon Chairperson

Currently, the SA public service has employed one million, three hundred and twenty six thousand people, it is befitting that in 22 years of our democracy we give thanks to their support, hard work, dedication and for serving their country with pride and being patriotically, you have made it possible for the ANC government to change the lives of our people for the better.

Hon chair I am talking about an administration who made it possible that

: more than 4.3 million houses translating into homes for about 12,5million South Africans are build.
: an administration who made it possible that access to basic sanitation services increases from 62,3% in (2002) to 79,5% in (2014)
: an administration who made it possible that tarred roads are maintained and gravel roads are graded.
:an administration who made it possible that the electrification of households increases from 69,7 in (2001) to 86% in 2014
: an administration who made it possible that between 2001 and 2014 the percentage of households with access to clean piped water increased from 61,3% to 90%.

Through your support government has made tremendous strides in the provision of basic services in all walks of life and there is no doubt about it!. We want to say thank you! Thank you! for making Mzanzi a better place than it was before 1994, thank you! for enabling the Government to create better opportunities for everyone in the country.

" gogo! ,mkhulu!, mosha! WOZA SI SHOTA NGWAWE BUYELA E KHAYA" I KHONGOLOSE I YAKUDINGA"

Mandate of the Department of Public Service and Administration

Honourable Chairperson, public service and administration derives its mandate from section 195 of the Constitution, which sets out the basic values and principles of the public administration. In this regard, the Department of Public Service and Administration is required to implement and coordinate interventions aimed at achieving an efficient, effective and development-oriented public service. Our role as the Committee, is to conduct effective oversight over the Ministry of the Department of Public Service and Administration and its entities in executing their mandate as per the Constitution and the National Development Plan.

The National Development Plan

In light with section 195 of the Constitution, the National Development Plan (NDP) states that government`s ability to achieve its developmental objectives requires an effective public service. The NDP highlights the need for well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants who are committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently high-quality services, while prioritising the nation`s development objectives. The delivery agreement outcome 12 remains strategic guide in the implementation of the programme of action for government in ensuring access to quality services, human resource management and development, tackling of corruption and citizen participation.

Programmes

Honourable Chairperson, having given this perspective, steps are needed to strengthen skills, enhance morale, quality of services, enforce accountability and build culture of patriotism in the public service.
Certainly, what we need in the public service is public servants who are committed to serve and value the public service as their employer of their choice. The Department has made strides in executing their constitutional mandate and in striving towards achieving the objectives of the National Development Plan.

The Public Administration Management Act is one example of pieces of legislations aimed towards realising the public service which is efficient, effective and development oriented. The amendments on the Public Service Regulations are some of the steps aimed at professionalising the public service.

The Committee supports the department in amending the regulations to respond to the current challenges and future developments in the public service. We appeal to the Minister that all amendments have to be aligned or integrated with other laws regulating the essential services. Development of policy framework for prohibiting public servants in doing business with the State is welcomed.

This will minimise unethical conducts in the public service. The Committee note current efforts to fight corruption and awaits with anticipation to implementation of the policy framework which will strengthen the fight against corruption and promote good governance in the public sector.

This will enable us to guard against malpractices by government officials

We have reliably learned that Paul Hattingh is facing charges of corruption and fraud a tender scandal in a DA led municipality. He stands accused of using his position in the City of Cape Town municipality to cash in on cleaning product contracts worth R70-million - sharing the spoils with his wife, and a business partner who police says it is his girlfriend. We have learned that he supplied the city with everything from feather dusters to cockroach spray, furniture polish, refuse bags, shoe polish and foot deodoriser and that his wifes company was paid R11.7-million from 2008 to 2012 for items such as disinfectant, liquid hand soap and rat poison and that they bought hamburgers for the value of R8,208 and further used public funds to buy (Bar One)". chocolates for the value of R6,840. We thank the Hawks for having investigated and exposed these wrongdoings within the DA administration.

We acknowledge and appreciate cost containment measures and support for other departments. Its a clear indication that we are moving towards professionalising the public service.

We commend the department support to other government departments in resolving labour disputes within reasonable time. We note the establishment of an internal pool of labour relations experts to assist departments in dealing with cases involving employee who have been placed on precautionary suspension.

We further commend the department for developing a database in responding to the audit outcomes pertaining to the department and the entire public service.

We note the implementation of the Government Employee Housing Scheme for government employees. We propose policy review on the Scheme so that more subsidy has to be directed into housing allowance to promote home ownership among the public servants. This will help to minimise the challenge of home ownership for public servants.

We note and welcome the announcement by the Minister of Human Settlements budget vote debate of 2016 that both departments are working together on this program. The Minister made mentioned that "government will act as guarantors to the banks, in order for the banks to make bonds available to government employees. This will mean that the gap market that falls between the affordable and unaffordable, employed by the state, will now be catered by government".
Honourable Chairperson, if we really want to change the country, we have to inspire young people. Let me commend the department in ensuring government departments offered internship programmes to 150 000 young people and 20 000 absorbed annually in the public service. Government has delivered on its set targets as per the delivery agreement, SIYA XOBA! WOZA SI SHOTA NGAWE however more still needs to be done.

We therefore recommend that

The department support and strengthen human resource management in most government departments.

That they monitor vacancy rate in the public service especially in the provincial departments and ensures critical vacancies for the senior management positions in provincial and national departments are filled within prescribed
period.

Honourable Chairperson, it worrying that employment of Persons with Disabilities is not progressing towards reaching 2% target in the public service. On the same breath, the 50% employment of women in senior management positions is not yet reached, however we have noted a slight progress in this regard.

Thusong Service Centres are very close to our hearts. That`s where people receives better quality services without travelling long distance. We welcome the decision by the Department to develop institutional model for the coordination of the Thusong Service Centres.

E-governance is an important tool for improving service delivery, making service accessible and improving turnaround times. Government is still lacking behind in this aspect, more needs to be done. Government need to channel more resources on the e-Governance in order to improve services. E-governance will strengthen and assist government in realising the objectives of the Operation Phakisa.

National School of Government

The National School of Government has made tremendous strides with the Compulsory Induction Programme, a total of seventy four thousands, six hundred and eleven public servants have undergone this programme.

In pursuit of making the public service a career of choice, the School working with Department of Public Service and Administration is currently piloting graduate recruitment scheme to support government departments in attracting and developing young talents. The National School Government should accelerate provision of e-learning to reduce logistical cost associated with normal classroom training courses.

Centre for Public Service Innovation

We call on the Department of Public Service and Administration to ensure that government departments allocate a certain percentage of their total budget on innovation projects and promote core partnership with the Centre for Public Service Innovation. We urge the Ministry of the DPSA to lobby for the establishment of dedicated innovation units in the Offices of the Premier to unearth innovative solutions in their respective provinces.

Public Service Commission

Honourable Chairperson, In this financial year, the Commission will be rolling out investigation into the management of Policy on Incapacity Leave and ill-Health Retirement in Western Cape province. We appeal to the Public Service Commission to roll out the same investigation in all nine provinces.

The Commission has to monitor recruitment systems in the public service more particularly in the senior management level. The Committee will continuously support the Public Service Commission in ensuring its recommendations to the government departments are responded to and implemented.

Thank you for affording me an opportunity to bear testimony on the ability of government to deliver on its promises and by confining itself with the law and ensuring service delivery to our beloved country.

The African National Congress support this Budget Vote 10.

Thank you
 

The Fight against Corruption? We are not convinced.: Annette Lovemore DA Shadow Minister of Public Service & Administration

In his State of the Nation Address in February 2014, the President said: “The fight against corruption must be intensified”.

In June 2014, he proudly stated: “The Anti-Corruption Task Team … and the Hawks have made notable progress in our quest to combat corruption …This work will continue in the next five years”.

By 2016, the word “corruption” was not mentioned in the President’s State of the Nation Address once. Despite it being a scourge, and priority one at that.

Nothing.

In January 2015, Anwa Dramat, then head of the Hawks and chairperson of the nation’s Anti-Corruption Task Team, was purged, rendering that Task Team rudderless and ineffective.

It is now dead, despite the President’s boast that it was making “notable progress” and would operate for at least the next 5 years.

Over the last fifteen years, we have had, in addition to the Anti-Corruption Task Team:

·         Various National Anti-Corruption Summits

·         A National Anti-Corruption Programme

·         An Anti-Corruption Coordinating Committee

·         The National Integrity System

·         The Anti-Corruption Working Group, and

·         A Special Anti-Corruption Unit

They’re all dead.

But never fear.

We currently have:

·         The National Anti-Corruption Hotline

·         The Anti-Corruption Inter-Ministerial Committee, and

·         The National Anti-Corruption Forum

So how close does this bring us to a public service that ensures that taxpayers’ money does not make its way into the coffers of criminals?

The National Anti-Corruption Forum has held conferences at which, I am told,“resolutions were adopted leading to an anti-corruption programme.”

No real crime fighting going on there.

The Public Service Commission runs the National Anti-Corruption Hotline. The Commission refers cases to relevant departments for investigation – approximately 2 000 cases a year. The Commission reports that, sadly, two thirds of such referred cases are never resolved – probably never investigated at all.

We must acknowledge that some departments – about one third – are concerned about corruption and do investigate.

An average of about 250 public servants are found guilty of corruption each year, following internal disciplinary processes. Guilty. But the Minister of Police has told me, in response to a parliamentary question, that he only deals with approximately 90 cases of corruption a year. That’s one third of those found guilty by their departments.

So – only one third of corruption cases emanating from the hotline are investigated. And, according to police statistics, only one third, at most, of public servants found guilty of corruption, internally, are ever reported to the police.

Those statistics do not speak of a high level of public sector commitment to rooting out corruption, do they?

But maybe I’m missing something.

Because, in 2002, Cabinet decreed that every Department must have MACC – Minimum Anti-Corruption Capacity. The Department of Public Service and Administration was tasked with supporting departments to develop their MACC.

But when the Public Service Commission examined the level of investigation of corruption cases in 2015, it found that most departments still do not have MACC.

Why not? When a commitment was made by the Department of Public Service and Administration in response to a Cabinet directive? Why have no heads rolled? Why has no-one been held accountable for this and so many other failures in the fight against corruption?

But – along comes another initiative.

The Public Administration Management Act – to be implemented soon – introduces a Public Administration Ethics, Integrity and Disciplinary Technical Assistance Unit.

In addition, the Public Service Integrity Management Framework is ready for roll-out to a department near you.

The framework requires every department to have a dedicated ethics officer appointed by the relevant Minister. So Minister Zwane will appoint the person responsible for ensuring ethical conduct within the Department of Mineral Resources and Minister Dlamini will appoint the ethics officer in the Department of Social Development.

Of course, there are certain things that are not left up to initiative – that departments are required to do by law.

All members of the senior management service must submit a disclosure of their financial interests every year. Only 22 of the 44 national departments submitted on time last year.

There are certain departments that have been classified as serial offenders, making a habit, year after year, of allowing senior management members to get away with not disclosing their financial interests.

The very department responsible directly, by law, for formulating the national anti-corruption strategy – the Department of Public Service and Administration – is a serial offender, not submitting financial disclosure forms.

The very entity responsible for training ethics officers and instilling a culture of integrity – the National School of Government – is a serial offender, not submitting financial disclosure forms.

The track record is not a good one.

The Honourable Minister, Adv. Ramathlodi, has his duties outlined for him in the Public Service Act.

Inter alia, “The Minister is responsible for establishing norms and standards relating to integrity, ethics, conduct and anti-corruption in the public service”.

Fighting corruption is in his job description.

I recently asked the Minister what the financial loss to the public sector, due to specifically corruption, has been over the past years.

The Minister provided a rather startling response. He said: “There is currently no measure applied in the public sector to estimate financial losses as a result of corruption.”

Really?

The Constitution of our country demands a public service in which “a high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained”.

I challenge you, Minister, to prove us wrong in our doubt. I challenge you to measure and manage progress, and to take action when your department simply does not deliver on its anti-corruption mandate. Let heads roll if they must. But show South Africa that you mean business. You are ethically, legally and constitutionally obliged to do so.

Public servants deserve better: Andricus van der Westhuizen DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration

Hon. Chairperson, Minister Ramatlhodi, colleagues and members of the public.

We have thousands of dedicated and hard-working public service staff among the more than 1.4 million public servants. People who are always looking for opportunities to improve service standards, who will move mountains to meet deadlines and when required, will put in the extra hours.  People who now have to work even harder, due to the current cost-cutting measures. I want to honour them today.

Unfortunately, their contributions are not cherished. This government has shown that the quality of the public service is not a priority. If the president was really serious about developing a “capable state”, he would not have left this department without a full-time minister for more than six months. Hon. Minister Ramatlhodi: If you did not show a reluctance to dine in Saxonwold with the Guptas, the vacancy caused by the untimely death of former Minister Chabane would in all probability still exist.

The National Development Plan lists a number of issues that affect the public service negatively. After five years, those very same issues are still prevalent. Because the rot starts at the head! The NDP lists them: instability in administrative leadership, erosion of accountability and authority, poor organisational design, inappropriate staffing and low morale.

Unfortunately, the national government lacks the political will to address these issues. Why has the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation consistently found that provincial departments and local governments run by the DA are out-performing ANC run administrations? One word: Accountability!  Why are the corruption levels that my colleague, Hon. Lovemore, referred to, not addressed? Lack of accountability!  Let me illustrate this lacklustre approach to accountability:

All senior managers in the public service must annually declare their financial interests. The senior managers in the Western Cape provincial administration have shown a 100% compliance over the last few years. Yet in the case of the ANC national government, only two out of every three senior managers declared their interests in 2015. No one was held accountable for this failure.

Who should act against senior managers in the national government who ignore regulations? The members of cabinet! And who, in turn, is supposed to hold the executive accountable? First the president, and then this parliament! So, because this parliament is failing in its duty, ministers do not hold senior management staff accountable. Do I need to remind you of the scathing words of the judge president of the constitutional court regarding the failures of this parliament?

The National Development Plan also highlights the negative effect of the tensions in the political administrative interplay. The portfolio committee recently learned that, instead of oversight and strategic guidance, some ministers insist on cadre deployment and they want to prescribe who may be appointed in their departments. The committee learned that some director-generals may not even appoint secretaries in their offices without the minister signing off on the appointments. It is this kind of interference in the administration that eventually results in private airplanes taking off from Waterkloof Air Force Base, in officials signing off for private swimming pools, chicken runs, cattle kraals; for drafting the specifications for a R4 billion business jet, for officials organising food parcels bought with public money for politicians to distribute during elections. The list goes on.

The National Development plan, quite justifiably, also refers to the lack of skills and capacity in the Public Service. Which brings me to another serial under-performer, the National School of Government. Eighty four percent of its training is on informal programmes and not recognised by SAQA. A ministerial directive in 2008 introduced a compulsory induction course for public servants lasting not one, not two, not three days, but 26 days. And who has got the monopoly to offer this programme? The National School of Government!  The school’s budget has been cut from R140million to R55million. It is using its monopoly to force other government departments to cough up for this programme in order to balance its books. Without completing the first module of the programme, no public servant can end his or her period of probation. Tens of thousands of public servants have had their careers put on hold because of this mess.

The NDP quite rightly points out that the poor suffer most when the public service fails. The DA has shown that it will hold public servants accountable, thereby ensuring quality services to the poor.

For accountability to feature at national level, we need a president that will have his finger on the pulse of cabinet. We need cabinet ministers that understand their role. Ministers who do not interfere in the administration, but who hold senior managers accountable for the performance of their departments. Moreover, we need a parliament that really works.

It is clear that the current government is unable to achieve that. Fortunately voters can start turning this around at local government level on 3 August this year.

I thank you.