ATC110607: Report on 2011/12 Strategic Plan & Budget Vote of Department of Public Service & Administration (DPSA)

NCOP Economic and Business Development

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS ON THE 2011/12 STRATEGIC PLAN AND BUDGET VOTE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION (DPSA) – DATED 7 JUNE 2011

 

The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, having considered Budget Vote 11 of the DPSA, reports as follows:

 

1.         Introduction

 

1.1.       On the 31 May 2011, the DPSA presented their 2011/12 Strategic Plan and Budget Vote to the Committee. This was done as part of the Committee’s role in conducting parliamentary oversight and ensuring executive accountability, especially with regards to the budget expenditure of the Department.

 

2.         Background

2.1.       Those that appeared before the Committee for the briefing on the budget included, Mr

RM Baloyi - Minister, Mr Themba Maseko - Director-General, Ms Colette Clark - DDG SDOT, Mr Kenny Govender - DDG HRM&D, Mr Alex Mahapa - DDG Governance, Mr Masilo Makhura – DDG- Chief Executive Officer, Ms Linda Shange - Programme Management Office, Ms Thuli Manzini - Chief Operations Officer, Ms Shamiela Abrahams - PLO Office of the Director-General, Mr Oliver Nqubelani - PLO Office of the Minister and, Mr Vukani Mthembu - PLO Office of the Deputy Minister

 

3.         Ministerial Political Overview

 

3.1        It was indicated that the 2011/12 Strategic Plan and Budget Vote of the Department was presented against the background of a government committed to changing the lives of its citizens through better health, decent jobs, quality education, and safety and security.  There was specific emphasis on the creation of jobs.

 

3.2        The Department will, amongst others, lead the process to finalise the debate on the Single Public Service; determine the skills level of public servants with a view to making targeted capacity building interventions; develop and implement a sustainable methodology to monitor compliance with signing of Performance Agreements; provide training and development opportunities for interns and learners, as well as develop a strategy to reduce the period it takes to fill a vacancy in the Public Service.

 

3.3        Another critical intervention for the DPSA was the creation of the Special Anti-corruption Unit with the following objectives; institute effective and integrated management of investigation of corruption cases in the Public Service; conduct disciplinary proceedings; offer legal and advisory support, and ensure strategic information management.

           

4.         Presentation on the Strategic Plan and Budget Vote Allocation

 

4.1        The Director-General presented the Strategic Plan and Budget Vote of the Department. The presentation focused on the strategic priorities, strategic objectives and outputs, outputs under the delivery agreement for Outcome 12[1], and budget allocation in terms of the medium-term expenditure framework. The table below gives a breakdown on the budget’s economic classification with respect to the departmental programmes:

 

PROGRAMME

 

2011/12

R’000

2012/13

R’000

2013/14

R’000

1. Administration

165,259

176,650

189,937

2. Human Resource Management and Development

33,966

36,475

39,489

3. Labour Relations and Remuneration Management

23,273

25,332

27,012

4. Public Sector Information and Communication Management

40,862

43,301

46,037

5. Service Delivery and Organizational Transformation

50,630

53,879

58,292

6. Governance and International Relations

70,815

72,959

78,602

TOTAL

384,805

408,596

439,369

Source: Estimates of National Expenditure (ENE) 2011 – Vote 12, Public Service and Administration.

 

5.         Medium-Term Objectives and Strategic Priorities

 

5.1        The Director-General indicated that, in translating Outcome 12 into the Department’s outputs and activities, 10 priorities and their related objectives have been identified to  guide the Department’s work in the 2011/12 medium term. The sections below discuss each of the strategic priorities.      

 

6.         Strategic Priority 1: Service Delivery Quality and Access   

 

6.1        The Department would be working towards improved and more effective public sector accountability by strengthening its output on Batho-Pele impact assessment, approved standards for waiting time, the job-grading system and compliance on directives.       

 

6.2        The measurable indicators for the strategic outputs would include the facilitation of the implementation of the Batho Pele impact assessment, development and approval of standards for waiting time, Cabinet approval of the job-grading system, and assistance to 60 departments in aligning their organisational structures to their strategic objectives.       

 

6.3        Some of the activities indicated to improve the strategic priority, included the training of officials across the national and provincial departments on Batho Pele impact assessment and the finalization of approved standards.    

 

7.         Strategic Priority 2: Effective Systems, Structure and Processes 

 

7.1        The outputs which the Department presented in relation to the strategic priority, included an information and financial management system, the building of state capacity through HR connect, the approval of operational plans, the development of discipline management framework, the formulation of reporting mechanisms with the Auditor-General and Public Service Commission on disciplinary cases, the improvement of the monitoring and evaluation system, and the improvement of data integrity.           

 

7.2        The measurable indicators that were developed were in line with the strategic priority, which was aimed at ensuring that some of the national and provincial departments manage their human resource component through integrated financial management systems, linking job-titles to Public Service job-profiles, and finalizing disciplinary cases within 90 days.     

 

7.3        The main activities indicated in relation to the strategic priority, included the  establishment and implementation of the HR connect in the outstanding 21 departments,  the analysis of data received from departments and PERSAL, the analysis of the reporting system with the Auditor–General and Public Service Commission, and the formulation of reporting mechanisms for disciplinary cases.  

 

8.         Strategic Priority 3: Leverage ICT as Strategic Resource

 

8.1        The outputs that were presented in line with the strategic priority above, related to the deployment of a Basic Accounting System and the ensuring of ICT connectivity of Thusong Services Centres.    

 

8.2        Some of the measurable indicators presented in respect of the strategic priority, related to the deployment of key public infrastructure to enhance the security of one transversal application by March 2012, and connection of 125 Thusong Service Centres by March 2012. 

 

8.3        The main activities presented to enable the achievement of the above strategic priority, included the development of architecture and designs, and the completion of LAN Cabling in 125 Thusong Service Centres.   

 

9.         Strategic Priority 4: Effective Entry into the Public Service and HRD

 

9.1        The major outputs identified under this strategic priority, involved the development of policy on the utilization of the training budget and the intake of learners and interns in the Public Service.  

 

9.2        The measurable indicators presented included the approval of policy for utilization of training budgets and the completion of 25 000 internship programmes by March 2012. 

 

9.3        The main activities presented required the development of a dashboard on all programmes, consultation with stakeholders, and tabling of a report on the achievement of targets.      

 

 

 

10.        Strategic Priority 5: Effective HRM Policies, Practices, Norms and Standards

 

10.1      The outputs identified in terms of this strategic priority involved the analysis of organizational skills of senior managers and the development of a policy on minimum requirements for the appointment of senior managers to a higher level.

 

10.2      The measurable indicators for the strategic priority, included the development of capacity-building programmes for senior managers, and the drafting of policy for the appointment of senior managers by March 2012.   

 

10.3      The main activities reported by the Department involved the analysis of skills gaps of senior managers in 46 departments, the development of a draft policy on compulsory senior managers’ capacity-building programme, and the establishment of collaboration with stakeholders on the policy for appointment of senior managers.    

 

11.        Strategic Priority 6: A Healthy, Safe Working Environment for Public Servants

 

11.1      The outputs identified for this strategic priority included the approval of a youth development strategic framework in the Public Service and the implementation of a sexual HIV programme (SHIPP) in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga Provinces. 

 

11.2      The measurable indicators involves the implementation of the youth development strategic framework by March 2012 and the implementation of SHIPP in three provincial departments of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga Provinces.     

 

11.3      The indicators developed under this strategic priority included the development of standardized norms on youth development in the Public Service, the completion of workshops in four provinces, and the submission of report on the annual review of SHIPP.  

 

12.        Strategic Priority 7: Appropriate Governance Structure and Decision-Making

 

12.1      The outputs identified for this strategic priority included the completion of training and capacity building of Chief Information Officers, and reporting on oversight over the implementation of the State Information Technology Agency’s (SITA) turnaround strategy.

 

12.2      The measurable indicators on the strategic priority included the improvement of the ICT governance in the Public Service and the improvement in the effectiveness of SITA, by March 2012.  

 

12.3      The activities developed towards the achievement of the strategic priority involved the completion of training for all council members of the Government Information Technology Officers (GITO).

 

13.        Strategic Priority 8: Citizen Engagement and Public Participation      

 

13.1      The outputs identified included the completion of citizen engagement strategy for Community Development Workers (CDWs) for implementation in provincial departments and the strengthening of their participation in War on Poverty programmes.

 

13.2      The measurable indicators included the development of implementation guides of citizen engagement and ‘Know Your Service Rights’ by 2012, and the development of guidelines on re-alignment of the CDWs programme to support War on Poverty.      

 

13.3      The activities developed included the completion of consultation with stakeholders in all the nine provinces, and the development of guidelines on the re-alignment of CDWs to support war on poverty.       

 

14.        Strategic Priority 9: Corruption Tackled Effective

 

14.1      The outputs identified included the compilation of a report on IT vulnerability assessment, and the approval of the implementation of the Public Sector Integrity Management Framework. 

  

14.2      The measurable indicators developed included the completion of IT vulnerability assessment in two national departments and one province by March 2012.

 

14.3      The activities identified involve conducting IT vulnerability assessment in three national departments and one provincial department, and conducting one workshop with national departments, as well as with nine provincial departments.     

 

15.        Strategic Priority 10: Contribution to Improved Public Service in Africa and the International Arena

 

15.1      The outputs identified were in relation to the Department’s contribution to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the implementation of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s National Anti-Corruption Framework, and the establishment of continental bilateral and institutional relations.   

 

15.2      The measurable indicators developed involve the submission of a third report on the implementation of South Africa’s APRM programme of action, the  support to Democratic Republic of Congo on the implementation of an anti-corruption strategy, and the facilitation of four bilaterals for the Department to share best practices in governance and public administration with their African counterparts.            

 

15.3      The activities indentified included the development and approval of cross-cutting issues of migration and xenophobia, the consolidation of inputs towards the finalization of a third report on the implementation of South Africa’s programme of action, the completion of cost-analysis of the implementation plan, and the provision of technical assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo.     

 

16.        Committee Observations

 

16.1      The Committee has observed that the Department has translated Outcome 12 of the Service Delivery Agreement into Departmental outputs and an annual performance plan. The Minister for DPSA has been allocated the responsibility to co-ordinate the implementation of, monitoring of and reporting on Outcome 12, which emphasized the importance of an efficient, effective, and development-oriented Public Service and an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship.

 

16.2      In response to the call by the President, Jacob Zuma, in his State of the Nation Address, 2011 has been declared as South Africa’s “year of job creation”. The Committee has also observed that the Department has identified, within its current focus areas for the medium term, how it will contribute to job creation within the Public Service, through the implementation of a strategy on the filling of vacancies, the intake of 2 500 learners into internship programmes, the creation of IT infrastructure shared service centers, the CDWs, Thusong Services Centres’ general service counters, and the establishment of localized call centers.    

 

16.3      In order to contribute meaningfully towards the reduction of corruption in the Public Service, the Committee has further observed that the Department has developed an annual performance plan focusing on improving information technology security, reducing transgression in relation to financial systems and reducing the security risk to government systems and information, through the development and implementation of a vulnerability assessment programme.   

 

16.4      In order to fast-track service delivery in the Public Service, the Committee has furthermore observed, that the Department, in line with its annual performance plan, would be working towards an improved and more effective public sector accountability by strengthening the infusion of Batho Pele principles.

 

16.5      Under the strategic priority focusing on service delivery quality and access, the Committee has observed further Departmental commitments to develop and institutionalize the Batho Pele impact assessment in all sectors of government, starting with the health, education, criminal justice and administration sectors.    

 

16.6      The Committee further observed that the department did not present a progress report on the previous achievements, challenges encountered in implementing past projects, and priorities related to departmental sub-programmes    

 

 

17.        Recommendations

 

17.1      Having considered and deliberated on the Department of Public Service and Administration 2011/12 Strategic Plan and Budget Vote, the Committee recommends to the National Council of Provinces that the Department should:

           

17.1.1   provide the Committee with progress reports on all the municipalities that have failed to comply with the policy frameworks developed by the Department;

 

17.1.2   provide the Committee with progress reports on the development of a Single Public Service Bill;

 

17.1.3   provide the Committee with a comprehensive list of all the summits and conferences scheduled for the 2011/12 financial year to be hosted by the Department; and

 

17.1.4   provide the Committee with progress reports on a quarterly basis on the achievements made by the Department in respect of its 2011/12 medium-term priority projects per programme.

 

17.2      The Committee further recommends that the National Council of Provinces should approve the Budget Vote 11 of the Department of Public Service and Administration.

 

Report to be considered.

 


[1] Outcome 12 is the Delivery Agreement between the Minister of Public Service and Administration and the President of the Republic of South Africa.

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