Question NW458 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration
29 March 2016 - NW458
Lovemore, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)With reference to section 7 of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council Resolution 1 of 2012, and for every relevant organ of state, what are (a) the details of all qualifications recognised as an improved qualification which is related to an employee's scope of work and enhances the employee's performance and the service delivered by the employee and (b) the conditions or criteria applicable for recognition of such qualifications; (2) whether (a) a determination is made of an employee's improved performance before a cash bonus is paid to the employee or (b) the bonus is paid on attainment of the improved qualification; (3) (a) for every relevant organ of state and (b) for each financial year since the implementation of the scheme on 1 January 2013, (i) how many cash bonuses for improved qualifications have been paid out and (ii) what has been the cost of such bonuses in each of the specified financial years?
Reply:
(1) (a) Mandate to determine appropriate qualification/s related to an employee’s scope of work and the expected levels of improvement in performance as results of the attainment of the identified qualification/s resides with the Executive Authority of the respective departments.
(b) In terms of the Resolution, Sectors and/or Departments must define the qualifications which are relevant to their respective areas of work and which they intend to recognise.
(2) (a) Determination of performance levels in the public service is managed in terms of the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) as stipulated in Chapter 1, Part VIII of the Public Service Regulations (2001) as amended. This benefit was also introduced to encourage public servants to acquire academic qualifications in their respective areas of work in an attempt to professionalise and to build confidence in the public service.
(b) Bonus is paid on attainment of a qualification subject to terms and conditions stipulated in the resolutions and the circular.
(3) (a)(b) There is no record of any department implementing this agreement so far (since o1 January 2013), except for departments where this benefit has been in existence before the PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2012 was concluded.