Question NW3329 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

Reply:

Background

In pursuit of a comprehensive understanding of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) landscape within the public service, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) utilized the PERSAL system to generate reports concerning ICT personnel within various departments. Regrettably, these reports revealed discrepancies, as many departments had failed to update the field designating personnel involved in IT-related roles, consequently compromising the accuracy of the reports.

Subsequently, the DPSA formulated a data collection instrument, mandating all departments to provide the following particulars regarding their respective ICT personnel:

• Department or Government Component Name

• Sphere of Government (National/Provincial)

• Province

• PERSAL Number

• Full Name

• Branch

• Chief Directorate

• Directorate or Unit

• Job Title

• Salary Level

• A concise summary of the job description

It's noteworthy that this data collection initiative did not aim to ascertain specific ICT skills; nonetheless, through a meticulous analysis of the data received, the DPSA managed to infer a rudimentary skill level based on the roles that were being undertaken. It is imperative to highlight that a more comprehensive collection of skills information will be undertaken as part of the broader public service skills audit initiatives currently in progress.

Of the anticipated 161 departments, 132 provided responses, revealing a salient opportunity for departments to enhance the quality of their human resources data, particularly in relation to personnel information, job descriptions, and job titles.

Response to Question 1

(a) What number of public servants have skills related to information and communications technology (ICT),

As indicated above, pending the completed public service skills audit, the skill levels will be inferred based on the functions being performed.

Furthermore, the majority of public servants that have access to computer technologies would have ICT skills that typically encompass basic competencies required for everyday tasks such as word processing and internet browsing, while specialist ICT personnel deployed in ICT functions would have skills that involve a deeper and specialized knowledge, often focusing on complex system development, cybersecurity, or network administration.

Therefore, the data collected reveals that there are 4548 ICT personnel deployed in departments’ ICT functions.

and (b) how often do the relevant government departments upskill the specified skills.

Upskilling and training of employees is decentralized with departments prioritizing resources based on their specific needs. The DPSA does not currently have a mechanism to track and report on the ICT specific training and upskilling by departments.

Response to Question 2

What number of cyber security specialists are currently employed in the Public Service?

From the 4548, 64 personnel have been identified as having either a job title of job description that involves ICT security / Cyber security. The data does not show the level of expertise and specialization at this point. The broader skills audit programme will provide further clarity upon its completion.

Response to Question 3

What number of ICT and/or e-Government-related courses does the National School of Government currently offer?

Currently the NSG has one programme.

The Digital Transformation for Public Sector Programme targets:

• Chief Information Officers and ICT Practitioners.
• Strategic managers in IT – dealing with service delivery improvement through digitization.

The programme was developed during the 2019/20 financial year in partnership with the curriculum development sub-committee for the Government Information Technology Officers Council (GITOC). The programme content was further peer reviewed in 2022 by colleagues from DPSA, DSI, SSA, SITA and DCDT.

The intention was to create a programme applicable and relevant to Government-wide needs in the digital transformation and ICT spheres and furthermore, to make it impactful in enhancing service delivery through 4IR and other transformative ICT tools.

Programme Overview

The programme is structured into four modules, each of which is divided into a varying number of units, as indicated below:

Module 1 - ICT Leadership in Government Information Communication and Technology

Unit 1: CIO Role

Unit 2: IT Organisation

Unit 3: IT Governance

Unit 4: IT Planning

Unit 5: Overview of Public Sector Procurement

This section focuses on the IT organisation, its leadership and management. It looks at how IT should be governed and the role of business and leadership in the corporate governance of ICT.

Module 2 - Technology Platforms

Unit 1: Service Oriented Architecture and Micro-services

Unit 2: Cloud Computing

Unit 3: The Fourth Industrial Revolution

• • Social Media & Mobile Technology
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Augmented and Virtual Reality
  • Internet of Things
  • Blockchain

This section covers current technology trends and how they are used to enable business. The information will help learners not only gain a deeper understanding of the technologies available but how they can be used in public sector service delivery and administration.

Module 3 - Public Sector Digitisation

Unit 1: Data Management

Unit 2: Business Process Management

Unit 3: Digital Government

This section covers the fundamentals of digitisation and how these fundamentals can be applied to the public sector.

Module 4 – Cyber Security

Unit 1: Cyber Law

Unit 2: Cyber Security

Unit 3: Cyber Security Governance

Unit 4: Cyber Threats

Unit 5: Cyber Attack Threat Vectors

This section covers the fundamentals of Information Security and the threats or challenges posed by ever increasing digitisation and connected cyber networks. The section will also look at the legal matters related to information security and what IT organisations must do in the public sector to protect the state.

End