Question NW3890 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
30 November 2015 - NW3890
Lovemore, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)What (a) are the details of each of the investigations that the Public Service Commission will complete in the 2015-16 financial year and (b) investigations are planned for the (i) 2016-17, (ii) 2017-18 and (iii) 2018-19 financial years; (2) what process does the specified commission undertake to develop its schedule of investigations, in alignment with its constitutional mandate; (3) what steps will the specified commission take to ensure that negative findings arising from any of its investigations are appropriately addressed?
Reply:
(1)(a) The PSC’s workplan for the 2015-16 financial year contains the following own accord investigations:
- Assess the effective, efficient and economic functioning of the Office of the State Attorney
- Assess the effective, efficient and economic functioning of the Office of the Chief State Law Advisor
- Skills and competency audit of human resource and financial management of senior managers in the Western Cape
- An assessment of the effects of organisational restructuring on service delivery in Gauteng
- An assessment of the management of service terminations and pension payouts in the Public Service
- Factsheet on irregular appointments in the Public Service
- Audit on the recruitment and selection processes in the Gauteng Department of Finance
- An assessment of the handling of disciplinary cases in the Public Service
- Report on the nature and extent of the protection of whistleblowers and investigators in the Public Service
- Awarding of higher salaries on appointment and counteroffers in the National Departments of Transport and Labour
The completion date of “investigations conducted on receipt of any complaint lodged with the PSC”, is dependent on a number of factors including the time when the complaint is lodged, the number of allegations contained therein and the complexity of the investigations. The PSC aims to finalize investigations of the complaints lodged with it within ninety (90) days after the receipt of all necessary documentation.
(1)(b) Investigations to be conducted in the ensuing year are determined annually at the Public Service Commission Strategic Planning Session and compilation of a list of these investigations is still a work in progress.
(2) The process to develop a schedule of investigations is informed, amongst others by the Public Service Commission’s (i) legal mandate, (ii) vision and mission, (iii) strategic objectives, and include compilation of Workplans from the trends on the nature of complaints received, previous research conducted and an external environmental scan, this Workplan is presented annually at the Public Commission Strategic Session for consideration and adoption. Furthermore, the Public Service Commission Annual Performance Plan are tabled in Parliament annually
(3) Upon finalization of investigation, a provisional report with findings is forwarded to the relevant executive authority for comment, and should comments be provided, these comments are considered by the Public Service Commission in the issuance of a final report with recommendations. The executive authority is requested to indicate whether it accepts the Public Service Commission recommendations or not. In instances where the recommendations are not accepted, the executive authority should indicate reasons for not accepting the recommendations. The Public Service Commission’s report and findings are submitted to the National Assembly or to Provincial Legislature in line with section 196(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.