South African Management Development Institute: Progress report

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Meeting report

PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
7 March 2001
SOUTH AFRICAN MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE: PROGRESS
REPORT

Chairperson: Mr Nathi Nkhleko (ANC)

Document handed out:
Report by the SAMDI

SUMMARY
A progress report was presented by the Director General of the South African Development Institute (SAMDI).

MINUTES
The issues raised at the meeting may be found in the document presented by SAMDI Director General, Mr Tebogo Mokgoro, Ms Melanie Bernard-Fryer (Deputy Director General) and Mr Nico Els (Director). See document for detail.

Certain additional points were highlighted under the various headings. These are referred to below.

Some Key Successes In 2000
Mr. Mokgoro advised that in the past, accountability and management of European Union Funds had been entrusted to the Programme Management Unit (PMU). Now this task has been given to the Project Assistance Team (PAT) which assists SAMDI in carrying out its mandate.

The benefit derived from this is that PAT gives a stronger managerial capacity which ensures integration with government financial systems. As SAMDI wishes to extend its contract building capacity to other parts of the Public Sector, PAT aids with the integration with other government financial systems. By virtue of this innovation, it has forced a unique partnership with Treasury, where they provide technical guidance to this facility.

Presidential Strategic Leadership Development Programme
This programme was launched in July 2000. Subsequent participation by Directors-General was disappointing and a different approach was mooted. Previously, Directors-General converged at a place and were taken through a learning exercise. This did not work so SAMDI created a work-based learning approach called "ACTION LEARNING" which was well received. By the end of last year, 428 senior managers had participated in the programme which is a success after the initial disappointing turnout. The PSLDP Programme is now more customized and relevant, and SAMDI is pleased to announce that 22 departments are waiting to go through this exercise.

MEC Programme
Premiers of the provinces played a prominent leadership role in this successful programme, of which four modules have been completed, and the fifth will be undertaken in April.

Results of Annual Work Plan 2000 for Public Service Management Development Programme 9670 people have been trained and 54066 training days have been utilised.

Overall Directions 2001
SAMDI strongly believes in the Skills Development legislation and its goal is not only to obtain perfect service delivery, but also to be both an internal and external provider of training. Therefore SAMDI needs to be registered with an accredited provider which will serve as a watchdog to ensure that SAMDI's clients are assured of quality performance.

Compulsory Programmes
SAMDI takes the view that the Skills Development Legislation is not sufficient. One way in which SAMDI will deal with this shortcoming is by the adoption of Compulsory Programmes for departments.

Key areas to be expanded on in 2001:
- new collaboration / partnerships with Joint University Public Management Education Trust (JUPMET)
- monitoring, evaluation and roll-out of the collaboration
- maintaining and working within the guidelines of the EU

Room For Improvement
Mr Mokgoro stated that transformation does not take place overnight, and at all times one needs to ensure that priority to Human Resources is given.

Special Conditions
Mr Mokgoro raised the point that a narrow and exclusive focus on training does not work. SAMDI believes that people who have undergone training were sometimes not allowed to test their new skills in the environment, or that some of their training activities are unrelated to the job environment. Consequently, SAMDI is shifting its approach to be in line with these needs and it is changing its role to that of Performance Consultant.

Preview Of Proposed Compulsory Training For 2001
In terms of the Skills Development legislation, government departments are exempt from paying the levy for skills development. SAMDI believes that government departments should budget 1% of its payroll for training. However, no control mechanisms are in place to ensure that government will be spending money on skills development.

Discussion
The Chairperson asked:
- if assessments had been conducted in the area of service delivery.
- if there has been public input on service delivery, and how service delivery is understood by the public.

Mr Mokgoro replied that nothing fundamental has been done in assessing the area of service delivery. He stated that there is an intense intervention that is required for such monitoring and evaluation to be conducted. Cabinet has raised the question of tenders to be obtained for a credible institution to assist SAMDI in this regard.

Mr A van Jaarsveld (NNP) asked if provinces were willing to participate in the MEC programmes.

Mr. Mokgoro stated that the Directors-General were responding better when told that training would be undertaken in their departments, rather than their personnel being called away on training courses.

Mr G Grobler (DP) raised the following questions:
- is there a time frame set for spending the EU funds
- are there any other specific donors in mind
- are any EU members involved in PAT?

Mr Els replied that accessing funds was an easy task. Within a month of completion of the PSLD programme, another programme was established in order to utilise the unspent funds. In terms of using the EU in future, it would depend on other programmes being developed, and a deal packaged with the EU. He stated that there is a two-year time frame given for utilising the funds, and any interest accrued on the funds will be used to fund further programmes.

With regard to other donors, Mr Mokgoro stated that they are targetting other departments. He noted that EU members monitor SAMDI on a regular basis.

Mr. Mohlala (ANC) raised the following questions:
- how does SAMDI aim to recover costs
- how do you ensure that the knowledge acquired is applied after training
- how do you ensure that once trained, people do not leave their departments.

Mr. Mokgoro replied that PAT is working with the Chief Director of Finance on the question of cost recovery. The post -course assignments are given as a means of monitoring and evaluating people's application of their training in the work place. They would like to see development happen in such a way, that once trained, a person must be able to move horizontally and vertically within a department - this should be one of the principles of training.

Mr M Baloyi (ANC) raised the following questions:
- how is the adoption of Compulsory Programmes addressed
- is the training accessible to members at all levels

Mr Mokgoro replied that there is a database of all participants. Ms Bernard- Fryer added that Compulsory Programmes are not cast in stone. SAMDI is in contact with its clients, and programmes are developed around the specific needs of its clients.

The meeting was adjourned.

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