ATC220518: Report of the Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure on Budget Vote 12: Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan 2022-23 of the Public Service Commission, Dated 18 May 2022

NCOP Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON BUDGET VOTE 12: PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISION AND ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN 2022-23 OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, DATED 18 MAY 2022

 

The Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, having considered the revised Strategic Plan, Annual Performance Plans and Budget (Vote 12: Public Service Commission), reports as follows:

 

1.         INTRODUCTION

The Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure (the Committee) considered the 2022/23 budget of the Public Service Commission (“the Commission”) on 11 May 2022.  In preparation for this report, the Committee was briefed on the revised Strategic Plan, 2022/23 Annual Performance Plan (APP) and 2022/23 Budget Allocations of the Public Service Commission.

 

2.         BUDGET FOR 2022/23

The PSC’s overall budget allocation for 2022/23 is R288.4 million in 2022/23 financial year, compared to R286.3 million in 2021/22 financial year. This represents an increase of 8.1 per cent in nominal terms. However, in real terms the total budget for the Department of Public Service and Administration decreased by only -1.8 per cent between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years. Expenditure is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 1.3 per cent, from R286.3 million in 2012/22 to R297.7 million in 2024/25. Compensation of employees’ accounts for 75 per cent (R652.1 million) of the Commission’s projected expenditure over the medium term.   

 

3.         OBSERVATIONS

The Committee identified the following matters in relation to the Budget Vote 12:

1. The Committee welcomed the 2022/23 Annual Performance Plan of the Public Service Commission. The initiative by the Commission on the legislative reform project intending to introduce to Parliament a Bill that will allow the Commission to be supported by a Secretariat that is independent of government in order to strengthen its independence was noted.
2. The Committee further noted the existing vacancies of the Commissioners at the National Office and in Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces. The Committee was wary of section 3(2)(a) of the Public Service Commission Amendment Act, 1997, which stipulates that such posts should be filled within a 90-day period before they become vacant. The Committee was concerned about the Mpumalanga PSC Commissioner post, which took longer to fill and encouraged Mpumalanga and Gauteng legislatures to fast-track their recruitment process to be in line with section 3(2) of the Act.
3. The Commission’s footprint in the rural areas has been in the spotlight, particularly in monitoring government facilities (Service Delivery Inspection) that are providing services in the rural towns.

 

4.         RECOMMENDATIONS

The Committee recommends that the Minister, through the Department of Public Service and Administration, should ensure the following:

 

1. The Commission should speed up the finalisation of the legislative reform project, which seeks to allow the institution to be supported by the Secretariat independent of the Executive in order to strengthen the Commission, especially when the Commission has acquired back the status of a fully-fledged budget vote
2. The Commission should through its Service Delivery Inspections expand its reach of monitoring government facilities in all sectors in the public service. Further the Committee urged to be more visible more especially in the rural areas in order to ensure that public service is delivered accordingly
3. The Commission should review its organisational structure with the intention of strengthening capacity in the provincial offices in order to cover a wide spectrum of provincial departments as well as making an impact to the citizens in the provinces

The Committee recommends that the Council approve the budget of the Public Service Commission. [The DA reserved its position on the report and abstained.]

 

Report to be considered.