Question NW3918 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
03 December 2015 - NW3918
Lovemore, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
Whether (a) his department and/or (b) the Public Service Commission carried out any analysis of the Public Service to determine any duplication of services or functions that took place during the period (i) 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2014 or (ii) 1 January 2015 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, (aa) why not and (bb) when will such an analysis be carried out; if so, what (aaa) are the relevant details in each case, including the findings and (bbb) step(s) has he taken as a result of the findings?
Reply:
The (a) department and/or (b) the Public Service Commission have not conducted a systematic analysis of the Public Service to determine any duplication of services or functions. However, there is work that is being conducted in this area.
In terms of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) obligations under Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) Outcome 12 various projects were initiated, such as the development of Generic Organisational Structures. The Government’s Outcomes Based Programme identified key service delivery outcomes which necessitate collaboration across government Departments.
As part of the implementation of the Outcome 12 initiatives, the Governance and Administration (G&A) Cluster tasked the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) to support departments with the development of sector specific generic functional structures, with a view to improve the quality of organisational structures in the public service. The aim is to ensure consistency and common understanding with regard to what constitutes departmental core and support functions, to ensure alignment of organisational structures to the mandate and strategic objectives of such departments, as well as to achieve appropriate grouping of national and provincial functions to clearly define roles and responsibility in order to do away with duplications and overlap of functions.
Furthermore, the DPSA conducts analysis of proposed organisational structures submitted to the Minister for Public Service and Administration (MPSA) for consultation in terms of the 2015 Directive on the Changes to the Organisational Structures by the Departments in terms of the Public Service Regulations 1/III/B.2, which provides that Executive Authorities (EAs) shall, based on the strategic plan of his/her department, determine, after consultation with the MPSA, the department’s organisational structure. The consultation requests submitted to the MPSA by the EAs are in relation to all changes to the organisational structure affecting all units or posts from salary level 9 to level 16 (PSA posts and equivalent grades in OSD posts) with regard to creation of units, posts and functional reorganisation within the key programmes.
The analysis of the proposed organisational structures also ensures alignment of organisational structures and functions to the strategic objectives and mandates of departments to ensures the elimination of functional duplications and overlaps. The findings of the analysis are provided to specific EAs to be addressed before the proposed organisational structures are approved for implementation.