Reforming the Public Service Sector Management; DPSA's Milestones

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PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION
20 SEPTEMBER 2000
REFORMING THE SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC SERVICE SECTOR MANAGEMENT; DPSA MILESTONES SEPTEMBER 2000 - MARCH 2001

Relevant documents:
Reforming the South African Public Service Sector - text outline only [see Appendix 1]
DPSA Milestones- text outline only [see Appendix 2]

Departmental team: Mr Robert Shaw, Ms Jeanette Modise and Mr Cory Smith

SUMMARY
Senior management is being focused on as a means to accelerate service delivery. The Senior Management Service which is to be launched on 1 January 2001 aims to professionalise senior management. Recruiting effective and appropriate managers is the first challenge. These managers have to be trained to develop the necessary skills and the challenge is retaining them after recruitment and training. SMS is not a restructuring process but rather a window of opportunity for those that needed to upgrade their skills.

Targets with regard to employment equity had been reached in the Public Service aside from the target for appointing women in senior management positions. A more rigorous selection process was needed. A clear presentation of the milestones and delivery dates were set by Department. Amongst these were the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions and Welfare Support projects which commence in October 2000. A Batho Pele project launches in November and December 2000. The SADC Management Forum would be launched in February and March 2001 which would also see the Service Delivery Innovation Framework being adopted.

MINUTES
Senior Management Service (SMS): briefing
Ms Modise outlined the reasons for change as follows:
· To accelerate service delivery, which could only be achieved by effective government institutions and good managers.
· There was a poor level of performance and skills among some senior staff
· High turnover rates in scarce occupations and problems in recruiting and retaining skilled senior personnel
· There were under-developed performance assessment systems
· There was insufficient attention to training and development and nurturing a sustainable senior executive corps
· Due to rigidities in the employment framework and underdevelopment of core leadership managerial competencies there was little horizontal mobility.

Ms Modise noted the following relating to current senior management:
· The target of at least 50% of black managers by 2000 had been met in all salary categories
· There are 2 941 senior public service managers which excludes police and defence
· The gender target of 30% women has not been met in most management categories
· Managers are strongly concentrated in the national departments although the bulk of public servants are based in provincial government

Ms Modise proceeded to outline the need for a Senior Management Service as follows:
· There was a need for a public service - wide pool of senior managers accompanied by a standardisation of management competence and generic competencies
· There needed to be greater correlation between selection and performance
· There was a need for the promotion of higher standards of ethical conduct
· Greater mobility within the public service with regard to career pathing was necessary
· The recruitment and selection process had to become more rigorous
· It was necessary to distinguish managers and professionals
· There was to be a minimum level of senior management competence
· There needed to be a unique employment framework which was de-linked from collective bargaining processes

The key implementation issues for the Senior Management Service were as follows:
· It will established on the 1 January 2001
· It will be provided for in the law
· Uniform norms and standards on recruitment, selection, conditions of service, performance assessments and career progression will be developed.
· Special systems would be developed to attract and select quality candidates
· Quality controlled job evaluations and competency assessments would be introduced and departments with the most severe delivery problems would be prioritised
· A more flexible and transparent salary structure would be implemented
· Greater mobility and redeployment of managers would be provided
· Greater emphasis on training and development and establishing a professional association for senior managers was also noted as a key implementation issue
· The DPSA's capacity to manage SMS had to be strengthened

Discussion
Mr Sikakane (ANC) enquired whether the DPSA was satisfied with the target of 50% that was reached with regard to black managers.

Ms Modise responded that the 50% employment equity was just a review against targets. It was inclusive of race and gender and different levels and was not just a round figure reflecting race levels. She noted that this was to ensure that the race factor is across the levels and not just on the lower levels.

Mr Baloyi (ANC) was concerned about possible challenges that may be faced with regard to co-ordination between different heads of departments and different managers in the same rankings. He also wondered whether the activities of SMS would clash with the Public Service Commission.

Ms Modise responded that there would be a unit established within the DPSA for support and guidance. The SMS would not be monitoring the PSC role. The improvements that are effected are with regard to the management of human resources and refer to managers from Director level and higher. She emphasised that SMS is not a restructuring process but rather a opportunity for those that needed to upgrade their skills.

Mr Grobler (DP) asked whether SMS was workable and whether the capacity was available to make it successful.

Ms Modise stated that for SMS to work, it required a knowledge of how development needs to be identified and met. Specific departments would identify their competencies and personnel development and would plan their "needs assessment analysis" at which point they will enter into a "personnel development plan". The process of assessing needs would be directly linked to competencies using an Assessment Battery and external consultation. The strengths and weaknesses would be identified and a plan of action would be put into place to address the development needs. It would not include standard educational programmes but would be specific to needs. She also stated that service delivery could not be interrupted and therefore educational institutions would have to provide the educational dimension.

Ms Maloney (ANC) wondered whether this entailed an amendment to the relevant Act. She also wondered when Department expected to reach the target of 30% of women in Senior Management. She enquired whether there was a separate budget for redeployment.

Ms Modise answered that the Act would not need to be amended however it would be reviewed the following year. She stated that the terms and conditions of salaries would be clearly defined so that the benefits that are available would not be fuzzy. She could not give a date for when the target would be reached but stated that every department had to work towards that target.

Department's milestones and delivery dates.
Ms Modise gave an outline of the milestones between midyear 2000 and March 2001 (see document).

Discussion
The Chairperson asked to what extent does the Department of Public Service of Administration (DPSA) engage with the Labour Department and the Draft Labour Relations Policy.

Mr Van Jaarsveld (NNP) stated that he was impressed and happy that there were some people in the department who were committed to transformation. He thanked the DPSA for the presentation before the Committee.

Mr Sikakane (ANC) asked for clarity regarding the role that PSC would play in dealing with public service employees.

Ms Modise replied PSC only evaluates and that the departments themselves together with labour representatives would do disciplinary cases. Mr Smith added that procedures with disciplinary cases would be streamlined and that coordinating and monitoring bodies play their own role. He stated that consultations with unions and negotiations were taken into account. However some matters did not require consultations with the union such as grading of the department.

Ms Maloney (ANC) enquired whether the SADC Management Forum is a resolution of the SADC and also who would co-ordinate it in outside countries.

Ms Modise replied that further discussions around this forum would be held and stated that SADC helped the DPSA's progress in this matter.

The Chairperson thanked the DPSA and expressed satisfaction at the implementation of Batho Pele policy. He stated with regard to SMS that the utilisation of human resources and how they are positioned is critical for acceleration of service delivery. The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix 1:

REFORMING THE SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC SERVICE SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Dept of Public Service and Administration

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

WHY THE NEED FOR CHANGE?

[PMG-Editor's Note: Graphs not included]

  • High turnover rates in scarce occupations and problems in recruiting and retaining skilled senior personnel
  • Poor levels of performance and skills among some senior staff, leading to inadequate service delivery
  • Under-developed performance assessment systems, notwithstanding positive developments in introducing performance agreements
  • Insufficient attention to training and development and nurturing a sustainable senior executive corps
  • Little horizontal mobility due to rigidities in the employment framework and underdevelopment of core leadership managerial competencies


CURRENT SENIOR MANAGEMENT CADRE

[PMG Editor's Note: Graphs not included]

WHY SMS?

  • Public service- wide pool of senior managers
  • Standardisation of management competence/generic competencies
  • Greater mobility(career pathing) within the public service
  • More rigorous recruitment and selection
  • Greater correlation between selection and performance
  • Need to promote high standards of ethical conduct
  • Distinguish managers and professionals
  • Elite corps of senior managers
  • Quality assurance( minimum level of enior management competence)
  • Unique employment framework, de-linked from collective bargaining processes

KEY IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

  • SMS to be established on the 1 January 2001
  • SMS will be provided for in law
  • Uniform norms and standards to be developed on recruitment, selection, conditions of service, performance assessments, career progression, etc.
  • Develop special systems to attract and select quality candidates
  • Introduce quality controlled job evaluations and competency assessments - prioritise departments with most severe delivery problems
  • Implement more transparent and flexible salary structure
  • Provide for greater mobility (redeployment) of managers
  • Greater emphasis on training and development
  • Develop protocols on ethics and conduct
  • Establish professional association for senior managers
  • Strengthen DPSA 's capacity to manage SMS

Appendix 2:
DPSA MILESTONES

SEPTEMBER 2000 - MARCH 2001

Mid-year review of outputs

  • Performance reviews conducted with each component (June-July 2000)
  • Mid-Year Strategic Review Session (11-12 August 2000)
  • Outcome: milestones for DPSA

Milestones passed - August

  • 2nd Correctional Services Report
  • Vulindlela Report
  • Report on grading of CFO posts
  • First draft of labour relations policy

September

Submissions to Cabinet:

  • Flagship E-government projects
  • Report on the service delivery capacity of the public service
  • Team to deal with backlogs in disciplinary cases begins work
  • Seminar on flexible staffing arrangements held
  • Report on Correctional Services medical aid (MEDCOR) finalised
  • Foreign Service Dispensation (FSD) finalised
  • National Minimum Information Requirements (NMIR) issued
  • HIV-Aids report completed
  • Status Report on HRD in the Public Service finalised

October

National training strategy developed

  • Competency profiles for senior managers completed
  • Strategy on recruitment and selection completed
  • CAPAM Conference held
  • Anti-corruption policy proposal submitted to Cabinet
  • First GITO Council meeting held
  • Departmental IT posts filled

Terms of reference finalised:

  • Team on implementation of pay progression
  • Team on reforming macro-benefits
  • Panel to deal with high profile disciplinary cases established
  • Database of disciplinary cases launched
  • FSD tabled in PSCBC
  • Agreement on SMS issues finalised in PSCBC
  • Report on lower graded employees tabled in PSCBC

IPSP:

  • Mpumalanga diagnostic phase completed
  • Free State diagnostic phase commences
  • Draft report on use of consultants in the public service finalised
  • NDPP and Welfare support projects commence

November-December

Batho Pele launches

  • Communications strategy
  • Guides
  • Awards
  • 5 provinces on board with IPSP
  • Demonstration projects launched:
  • mobile services (Mpumalanga)
  • outsourcing (Free State Departments of the Premier, Health and Public Works)
  • Report on the restructuring of employee benefits finalised
  • Research on conditions of service in the SASPS and SANDF commences
  • Exclusion of senior managers from collective bargaining achieved

January 2001

  • Senior Management Service launched and implementation commences
  • Implementation of exit management framework commences
  • Evaluation of some agency/arms-length relationship completed
  • Learning journal launched
  • Public service restructuring report finalised

February-March 2001

  • SADC Management Forum launched
  • Conference on Public Service Transformation held
  • Mpumalanga Audit Report published

IPSP:

  • Northern Province Public Works project completed
  • Northern Province Batho Pele and performance management project commences
  • Eastern Cape Welfare diagnostic phase finalised
  • Eastern Cape Office of the Premier Batho Pele and performance management project commenced
  • Service Delivery Innovation Framework adopted
  • Service Delivery Innovation Guidelines launched
  • Service Delivery Innovation learning network launched
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