Public Services Commission: briefing

Share this page:

Meeting Summary

A summary of this committee meeting is not yet available.

Meeting report

041013pcpservice

PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
13 October 2004
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION: BRIEFING

Acting Chairperson:
Mr N Gcwabaza (ANC)

Documents Handed Out
Public Services presentation

SUMMARY
The Public Service Commission (PSC) reported a reduction in surplus funds from 1% to almost nil in the financial year ended 31 March 2004. Key performance areas of the Commission were labour relations monitoring, human resource management, good governance, conditions of service and senior management, professional ethics and risk management, anti corruption investigations, and improvement of management and service delivery. Personnel management accounted for a large proportion of its expenditure. The Commission had a high vacancy rate of 13.2%, and a 6.9% labour turnover. The Auditor General's Report was unqualified.

The Committee Members expressed concerns about compliance, and the impact of PSC recommendations, and asked for clarity on how the public participated in the delivery of services amongst other things.

MINUTES
The Committee proposed and accepted that Mr N Gcwabaza (ANC) chair the meeting in the absence of the Chairperson, Mr P Gomomo.

Public Services Commission briefing

The Commission's delegation consisted of Mr J Ernstzen, Deputy Chairperson; Dr R Mgijima, Commissioner Gauteng; Dr N Maharaj, Commissioner Western Cape; Mr N Khoza, Deputy Director General: Corporate Services; Ms Z Dhludla, Chief Director: Professional Ethics and Risk Management, and Mr I Naidoo, Chief Director: Governance Monitoring.

Mr N Khoza said the Commission was involved in investigating, monitoring, evaluating, communicating and reporting on the public administration, ensuring good governance, and the delivery of affordable and sustainable quality services. According to the income instatement for the year ended 31 March 2004, total revenue amounted to R64 787 million out of which R46, 071 was used for personnel management. Administrative expenditure grew from 14% to 18% between 2003 and 2004 mainly as a result of fees paid to the Auditor General and outside consultants. The cost of equipment was high compared to the previous year due to upgrading of Information Technology services. Total expenditure amounted to R64 488 million with a resultant net surplus of R299 000. The management report for the year showed a reduced surplus from 1% in 2002/03 to almost nothing in 2003/04; primarily due to good planning and not incurring unauthorised expenditure.

He further said the Audit Committee met twice in the year and noted effectiveness of internal control, and quality Public Finance and Management of Administration. The Auditor General's report was a true reflection of the financial position of the PSC. He reported that the accounts officer set out key strategic issues. The office experienced capacity constraints. The majority of officials were deployed to the Eastern Cape and assisted with the intervention in the Eastern Cape Provincial Administration. The Commission managed to achieve outputs in the expenditure programme. Donor funds were received from the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ). Funds were received in kind and as such PSC did not control funds, but deposited it into the Reconstruction and Development Programme fund, which is under the control of the National Treasury. In the area of corporate governance, there were 14 Commissioners appointed in terms of section 196 of the 1996 Constitution, as well as specialist teams for key performance areas. An executive management committee saw to the day-to-day administration. Of concern was a high vacancy rate of 13.2% mostly at lower levels, with a staff turnover rate of 6.9%. PSC had identified appropriate compulsory training for senior managers as well as lower level personnel. Mr Khoza reported that four misconduct hearings had been finalised. A special programmes committee had developed an HIV/AIDS Policy and Programme that comprises elements of management support, education and awareness, and a communication strategy around HIV/AIDS issues.

Mr I Naidoo reported that the activities of the Commission were organised into three programmes; administration, human resources management and Labour Relations, and Good Governance and Service Delivery. He said the Labour Relations Department of the Commission had developed new skills via learnership programmes with the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), produced reports on dispute resolution utilisation by employees, and reports of financial misconduct. The Commission also focused on performance management of senior managers and Heads of Departments, investigated job evaluation service and conducted reviews of leadership in the public service. The Human Resource Management Department had monitored and evaluated human resource practices, audited affirmative action, evaluated senior management appointments, and managed discipline in the public service. The Commission had adopted additional mandates to include managing an anti-corruption hotline, managing the financial interests of public servants, and managing financial misconduct by public servants as stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act.

Ms Z Dhludla said good governance was twofold consisting of professional ethics and risk management. The Commission aimed to promote a high standard of professional ethics, improved service delivery, and to promote efficient and economic use of resources. She reported that the PSC had conducted special investigations into corruption in the procurement agencies.

Discussion
Mr M Sikakane (ANC) asked about the institutions for staff training, and for clarity on why the Commission paid the Auditor General for its services.

Mr M Baloyi (ANC) asked whether government departments complied with the Commission's recommendations.

Mr R Ntuli (DA) asked for clarity about the meaning of risk management in the context of the PSC, its vacancy rate, the impact of initiatives in the Eastern Cape, and whether the PSC generated any income.

Mr Khoza responded that financial managers had been trained in specialised skills in accredited institutions. Due to the transformation process, the Auditor General did not receive voted funds, hence charged the Commission for its services. He said the vacancy rate was the difference between approved establishment posts funded and the posts filled. Risk assessment was not about money but people. The strategy had been created to ensure proper performance management. A second risk was information management. The Commission did not generate any monies. Apart from voted funds, some resources came from parking tickets, repayment of bursaries, and interest on staff loans.

Dr N Maharaj reported that there had been improvement in terms of public administration, and a satisfactory compliance rate by the Departments. The PSC could not enforce compliance but only made recommendations. Mr R Mgijima said in terms of output and impact, monitoring was done on a six months' basis to ensure compliance. The management of PSC was wide, and the bulk of work was to promote professionalism in the public services administration. Activities included head of department evaluation.

Mr S Simmons (NNP) asked whether misconduct hearings were done internally or for all Departments, and asked for clarity on findings about the re-employment of personnel who were discharged for retirement due to ill health.

Mr Sikakane commented that non-compliance had to be investigated by the Committee and not the PSC.

Mr J Ernstzen said the provisions of the Public Services Commission Act provided that where previous recommendations were mandated compliance had to be obtained. He reported that there had been regular interchanges between Chairpersons of the Portfolio Committee and the PSC on the issue of compliance. There had been vast improvements in compliance. The Commission had encouraged upward mobility of lower level personnel. Misconduct hearings were internal to the Commission. Mr Mgijima reported that some personnel who retired because of incapacity had been re-employed. The PSC had investigated and had made recommendations on how the Department should issue a certificate of ill-health.

Mr S Simmons commented that it should not be made easy for such retired personnel to be re-employed.

Mr Ernstzen said in discharging one for retirement, a strict medical diagnosis had to be made to ascertain the degree of incapacity.

Mr Khoza said 14% of PSC personnel left during the financial year. Thirty posts became available and some had not been filled partly due to the resolution survey. However unfilled positions did not account for the labour turnover.

Mr E Saloojee (ANC) asked for clarity on how the public participated in the process of service delivery. Mr Ernstzen said the Portfolio Committee was involved in generating public participation.

Mr Saloojee cited the poor service delivery of the Department of Home Affairs, and questioned whether internal problems contributed to inefficient service delivery. Mr Mgijima admitted there was a gap in service delivery.

Ms Z Dhludla reported that the Department of Health in Mpumalanga had used the recommendations of the PSC, and as a consequence built new clinics and other projects. She was of the opinion that following up and giving feedback would help ensure compliance.

Mr Maharaj said the PSC report dealt with output, and should focus on important areas such as encouraging public participation in service delivery.

Ms P Mashangoane (ANC) commented that the use of the English and Afrikaans languages in their publications and other programmes limited public participation.

Ms Dhludla said on the contrary PSC had made use of the local languages. She reported that the Citizens Satisfactory Survey translated questions into local languages.

Mr Baloyi asked that the PSC include action plans in subsequent briefings.

Mr Gcwabaza commented that training of public service administration personnel especially those at the lower levels had been either not enough or not well managed.

Mr Baloyi suggested a targeted briefing with the focus on training of administration personnel in the public service. He suggested that the Committee's strategic planning session should be held at the end of the year.

The meeting was adjourned.

Audio

No related

Documents

No related documents

Present

  • We don't have attendance info for this committee meeting

Download as PDF

You can download this page as a PDF using your browser's print functionality. Click on the "Print" button below and select the "PDF" option under destinations/printers.

See detailed instructions for your browser here.

Share this page: