Question NW68 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

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04 April 2016 - NW68

Profile picture: Lovemore, Ms AT

Lovemore, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration

What are the details of the steps (a) his department and (b) the Public Service Commission are taking to enforce the requirement that all government departments pay their suppliers within 30 days of receiving goods or services; (2) how he intends to (a) monitor the effectiveness of, and (b) ensure managerial accountability for, each of the steps he intends to take in this regard?

Reply:

  1. (a) The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and also the National Treasury are in a better position to provide details of steps to enforce the requirement for departments to pay suppliers within 30 days.
  1. The Public Service Commission (PSC) derives its mandate from Section 196(4) of the Constitution, 1996. In terms of this mandate, the PSC promotes the constitutional principles in Section 195, including ensuring that resources (in this case financial) are used for the purpose they are earmarked, that services are rendered fairly, that ethics are promoted and that public administration is development-oriented. In addition, the PSC is mandated in Section 196(4)(b) to inter alia investigate, monitor and evaluate the organisation and administration of the public service and in Section 196(4)(c) to propose measures to ensure effective and efficient performance within the public service. Section 196(4)(f) tasks the PSC to monitor and investigate adherence to applicable procedures in the public service either on own accord or on receipt of a complaint.

In accordance with this mandate, the PSC conducted a series of public hearings at provincial and national level during the 2012/13 financial year. The hearings were intended to provide an overview of the challenges experienced in the payment of service providers and to develop possible solutions in this regard. The hearings were also designed to provide a forum for consultation and public participation with regard to the payment process. Departments with the highest incidence of non-payment (according to figures received from National Treasury) were also invited to these hearings. These departments were provided the opportunity to answer service providers’ questions, explain their challenges and solve cases of non-payment on the spot, where possible.

Reports on the individual hearings were compiled and coordinated through the relevant treasuries with government departments.

(2) (a) Outcome 12 Quarterly Report, which include monitoring of the 30 days payment of suppliers are tables at Cabinet as required. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) is part of the Outcome 12 Implementation Forum and it is in a better position to provide details on the effectiveness of the mechanisms to enforce the 30 days payment of suppliers.

(b) To have performance Agreement of managers to also include payment of suppliers as key performance area, amongst other things.

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