ATC080611: Report Budget Vote 8

Public Service and Administration

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration on Budget Vote 8 (Department of Public Service and Administration), dated 11 June 2008.

 

The Portfolio Committee received a briefing by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) on Budget Vote 8 for 2008/09 on the 27 February 2008. After having deliberated, the Committee reports as follows:

 

1.         Introduction and Overview

 

The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) is responsible for public service personnel matters relating to conditions of service, management of compensation, human resources, labour relations, public service governance, service delivery, state information technology, capacity building and skills management. The department has oversight on all state departments as they deliver services to the people of South Africa.

 

The DPSA aims to lead the modernization of the public service by assisting government departments to implement their management policies, systems and structural solutions within a generally applicable framework of norms and standards, in order to improve service delivery.

 

The Department has the following policy priorities and developments for the 2008/09 financial year until 2010/11:

 

·        Improving the level and frequency of interactions between government and citizenry through izimbizos, e-government and fifty one-stop centres; ensuring improved co-operation among all spheres of government through integrated planning, monitoring and evaluation; and implementing the single public service, which will align structures of remuneration and responsibility to allow staff to move across the three spheres of government, with the aim of improving service delivery.

 

·        Delivery of the following legacy projects: remuneration and retention, human resource development, service delivery access and improvement, African Governance agenda, monitoring and evaluation.

 

·        Implementation of the Public Service Amendment Bill is a priority for the Department, as this was declared an Act and published in the Government gazette in January 2008.

 

·        Preparations and tabling the Draft Single Public Service Bill in Parliament is a priority for the Department. It is scheduled for tabling in Parliament in June 2008.

 

The Department has the following programmes:

 

·Programme 1: Administration;

·Programme 2: Human Resource Management and Development;

·Programme 3: Management of Compensation;

·Programme 4: Information and Technology Management;

·Programme 5: Service Delivery Improvement; and

·Programme 6: Governance.

 

2.        Budget allocation

 

The DPSA was allocated a total budget of R412 306 000, which is a 7.35% increase from its allocated budget for 2007/08.

 

The budget is divided per programme as follows:

 

· Administration (programme 1) is allocated R96 386 000 for the financial year 2008/09. The objectives of Administration are to provide policy, strategic leadership and overall management of the department.

· Human Resource Management and Development (Programme 2) is allocated R45 062 000 for the 2008/09 financial year. The purpose of this programme is to develop and implement an integrated strategy, monitor employment practices, conduct human resource planning and diversity management, and improve the health and wellbeing of public service employees.

· Management of Compensation (Programme 3) is allocated R110 362 000. The purpose of the programme is to develop and implement compensation policies and guidelines for the public sector and ensure coordinated bargaining.

· Information and Technology Management (Programme 4) is allocated R38 747 000 for the 2008/09 financial year. The purpose of the programme is to ensure the effective use of IT in government and facilitate the use of IT for modernising government and establishing e-government practices, within an acceptable information security environment.

· Service Delivery Improvement (Programme 5) is allocated R90 198 000. The programme’s purpose is to engage in supportive interventions and partnerships which improve efficiency and effectiveness as well as innovative learning and knowledge-based modes and practices of service delivery in the public service.

· Governance (Programme 6) received R31 551 000 for the 2008/09 financial year. Its purpose is to improve governance and public administration systems for improved service delivery in Africa and other participating countries worldwide. The aim of the programme is to support the vision of efficiency and increased public participation in governance, by fighting corruption and carrying out participatory monitoring.

 

3.        Conclusion

The Committee adopts Budget Vote 8 for 2008/09.