Governance and Administration Cluster media briefing

Panel: Richard Baloyi, Minister of Public Service and Administration, Collins Chabane, Minister in the Presidency, Paul Mashatile, Minister of Arts and Culture, Yunus Carrim, Deputy Minister in Corporate Governance

Programme Director,
Deputy Ministers,
Directors-General,
Members of the Media,

Welcome to the G&A Cluster briefing. We are here to provide feedback on progress on the implementation of the National Programme of Action in terms of Outcomes 9 and 12 with the following respective themes. One being a Responsive, Accountable, Effective and Efficient and Local Government System. As well as an Efficient, Effective and Development Oriented Public Service and an Empowered, Fair and Inclusive Citizenry.

The major achievements on the Implementation of Outcome 9 for the period under review include the finalization of the terms of reference for the appointment of a service provider to develop a Policy Framework and ultimately a spatial segmentation Model. The National Accreditation Panel has commenced work on the remaining municipalities identified for accreditation to deliver housing programmes. Municipal pre-assessment has comment. As you will remember that provinces are required to conclude the necessary implementation protocols for the 8 municipalities that have already been identified and assessed by the National Department as well as put in place the necessary capacity support and development programmes.

The IDP Framework has been revised and has been consulted on well draft regulations providing guidelines on recruitment and selections have been developed application, publication for public comment and consultations with key stakeholders. The total of 95% households has access to basic levels of water, an 82% has access to basic sanitation, 72% access to refuse removal and 83% have access to basic electricity. A total of 70 844 work opportunities were created under the Community Work Programme. And 2074 work opportunities created through the establishment of 36 new cooperatives.

With regard to the process to review and strengthen the Legislative Framework for what committees and community participation. Proposals on the refinement of the Legislative Framework have been developed and will be presented to the technical team as well the G&A Cluster for further consideration.

A survey targeting 116 municipalities including 48 municipalities cited by the intervention by the AG is being conducted with regard to the establishment of internal audit unit and audit committees. By 30 June there were 69 municipalities’ respondents. A National Steering Committee comprising of the Departments of Cooperative Governance, Public Works, National Treasury and The Presidency has been established to address the issues of monies owed by national and provincial Departments to municipalities. Consultations were held with key stakeholders and other sector Departments and provincial Departments of cooperative Governance to establish a coordination mechanism in the form of a National Municipal Capacity Coordination and Monitoring Committee to exercise oversight and ensure coordinated support and intervention and monitor outcomes.

A Capacity Building Plan for Local Government has been developed in as far as issues surrounding outcomes 12 achievements. The major achievements on the implementation of outcomes 12 for the period under review include the completion of the methodology for conducting service in key Government service delivery points under output 1 which is service delivery quality and access.

The data collection instrument for face to face interviews has also been finalised. The first user in section survey will be conducted during the course of the current financial year. And it is accessible to Departments on the Department of Public Service and Administration website. The DPSA has assisted in the development of access norms for primary and secondary schools as well as in Home Affairs facilities and social grants pay points. The DPSA has initiated a process to develop access norms of facilities of the Department of Labour.

The Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation is leading the process of improving performance management which include aligning institutional and employee performance to ensure linkages between performance and incentives as a draft strategic framework have been developed in this regard. As part of improving discipline management in the Public Service the DPSA has developed functioning guidelines which are being consulted internally within DPSA and will be brought to Cabinet once finalised.

The Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy and DPSA have just completed analysis of skills of managers in 46 Departments the report of which will be used to determine the skills gaps in the Public Service as well as assist in determining mandate training programmes for senior managers. The DPSA visited Limpopo, Eastern Cape and North West Provinces and commenced with the advocacy for the cleaner project of the human resource data on the PERSAL system. The draft strategy for the implementation of the promotion of Administrative Justice Act in the Public Service has been Justice finalised.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has through the College developed an e-learning course for the public service. The draft principal document and templates of public administration and financial delegations were developed by DPSA and National Treasury. The document and templates were consulted with departments in a national workshop, provincial treasuries and chief financial officers and the governance and administration working class, those were in attendance to that. The concept document on the development of generic structures including organisational design principles was completed the consultative workshop with the Department of Health, Social Development, Education and offices of the premiers were conducted.

The DPSA has already engaged the North West and the Western Cape Executive Councils on organisational design principles and practices. The Social Development Ministers and members of the Executive Council have adopted a generic structure for approval and implementation. In terms of the business processes the development of the framework and toolkit stipulating the minimum required norms and standards for business process mapping, review and management has been completed. The development of a framework and toolkit stipulating the minimum required norms and standards for standard operating procedures setting of service standards and the development of service delivery improvement has also been completed.

In relation to an empowered fair and inclusive citizenry the DPSA used the last quarter to educate community development workers about volunteerism and their role. In as far as issues about national pride we are reporting that following the 2010 success of the Fly the Flag Campaign the Department of Arts and Culture has continued to distribute the national flag in the interest of nation building and promoting national identity. In this regard 13 000 publications were distributed to the KwaZulu-Natal Education, Western Cape archives and municipalities. 7000 handheld flags distributed in Mpumalanga through the MEC of Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation office. Six public talks have been held on national symbols during Magnificent Fridays, one public talk on national symbols at a municipal legislature in Mpumalanga. One expression of national identity dialogue workshop hosted in the Eastern Cape at the Amatole Museum in the King Williams Town. 29 400 handheld flags were distributed at six Magnificent Fridays events in six provinces. 10 000 flags distributed as part of Mandela Day celebrations, 6000 Nelson Mandela book markers distributed as part of Mandela Day celebration. 1200 flags installed as part of Flag in Every School Phase II since February this year.

On commemoration of national days on the 27th of April a military parade took place on the surrounds of the Union Building and the Freedom Day celebrations were held in the Gardens of the Union Buildings under the theme working together to unite the nation, promote democracy and protect freedom which was attended by 15 000 people.

On social cohesion the Department of Arts and Culture has worked on a national campaign aimed at reaching as wide a spectrum of South African society as possible to discuss values that underpins social cohesion in this regard dialogues were held throughout the country. The first point of call was a dialogue held with a South African Interfaith Council where religious and spiritual leaders gathered to share their views and ideas about the role of values in our society. The campaigns next measure highlight was at the Africa Day Celebrations in Newtown this was followed by dialogues at the Youth Day together with South Africans being interviewed on camera as far as this is concerned.

The dialogue continued to take place nationwide participating in community conversations at KwaZulu-Natal. There were dialogues with communities in Mvembe in Limpopo. On issues of skills development the Department of Arts and Culture is in the process of establishing the National Cultural Industries Skills Academy (NaCISA). This project was initiated in 2010 and through a series of sector consultation and the development of the Mzanzi Golden Economy New Growth Path Strategy. Human resource development and skills for the cultural industries has become a strategic issue. The key objective of this project is to empower marginalized youth and contribute towards job creation. To date the NaCISA project has achieved the sectoral consultation, including the SETA’s and Department of Higher Education.

On some of the issues under the Home Affairs programme in terms of the contribution of the Department of Home Affairs to this outcome, the Department has prioritised the registration of every child birth within 30 days of delivery and issuance of identity documents to every South African 16 years and above through the National Population Registration Campaign. With a view to supporting the registration of babies at birth 9 hospitals were connected during the review and period and they are fully operational. We can name them the Lethabe Hospital in Limpopo, Pampier Stad Community Health Centre in the Northern Cape and Postmasbek in the Northern Cape as well.

With the registration of babies within 30 days the Department aims to ensure that birth is the only entry point for South African to the National Population Register. The period under review the total of 133 262 child births were registered. For the second part of this mandate we are striving to issue ID’s to all those who turned 16 years of age. To this end we entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Education to ensure that we are able to visit schools and receive applications for young people for ID’s It is our firm conviction that an ID is really a passport to a better life.

In addition to the outcomes approach, two major programmes have been initiated by the Department for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) namely; Frontline Service Delivery Monitoring (FSLD) and the Management Performance Assessment of Departments and municipalities. These two programmes have been designed and are being implemented in partnership with the Offices of the Premier.

Following the commencement of the implementation of the performance agreements and delivery agreements, the first set of implementation progress reports were submitted to Cabinet during February and March 2011 and the second set were presented during June 2011. These reports are prepared and presented by the outcome coordinating Ministers. DPME also provides Cabinet with its own assessments of progress with the implementation of the Delivery Agreements. 

DPME has also begun the process of monitoring the frontline service delivery. This involves hands-on monitoring of service delivery institutions which interact directly with the public. The programme began in July this year and is now active in Limpopo, Free State, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Since July, DPME and Offices of the Premier have been in the field doing unannounced monitoring visits in 122 service sites with the target of 60 such as License Centres, SASSA offices, Schools, Health Facilities, Police Stations and Courts.

The monitors found cases of unacceptable quality of service and poor conditions of facilities, but also found cases of excellent service. The people interviewed have appreciation for opportunities to give their views about the quality of service they receive and what they deem important to improve. The findings will inform interventions that need to be introduced for improvement.

The monitoring focus in Health is on reducing waiting times in queues in hospitals and clinics, availability of medicines and other basic supplies, cleanliness and safety of health facilities. In Education, the focus is on timeous textbook and workbook availability, cleanliness and safety of schools, teachers in schools teaching for 7 hours per day. In the area of employment, the payment of suppliers within 30 days of receipt of a legitimate invoice, queues at vehicle licensing centres and turnaround times for vehicle and driving licences and other related documentation, and issuing of work permits.

In the area of Crime we want to reduce the average turnaround times to calls for assistance and provision of feedback regarding progress with cases to members of the public by the police. On Rural Development we want to ensure availability and quality of agricultural extension support to communities. These aspects were identified through a consultative process with all stakeholders.

DPME will also monitor Social Grants to ensure turnaround times for applications is reduced from current average of 30 days to 21 days, and ensure that service delivery standards at grant distribution centres are adhered to. Municipal services such as refuse removal, maintenance and repair of municipal infrastructure including water supply, sanitation, roads, and electricity distribution, cleanliness will also be prioritised including issues emerging from the Presidential Hotline.

On the Management Performance Assessments we intend to improve management performance in government. An assessment tool has been developed and assessments will start in October. This is a mechanism for implementing Outcomes 9 and 12 (developing an efficient and effective local government and an efficient and effective public service).

Management performance will be assessed across a comprehensive range of management areas, from supply chain management to strategic planning. In each management area, performance will be assessed against the management standards established by the relevant transversal departments (e.g. National Treasury for supply chain management).

Quantitative indicators and audit results will be used to assess whether a department is complying with legal requirements. However, more qualitative methods, such as questionnaires or assessment by a subject matter specialist, will be used to assess the degree to which management practices result in the efficient and effective translation of inputs into outputs. The latter aspect is the key differentiator between management performance assessments and the AG’s compliance audits. Management performance assessments will draw on information from the AG’s audit reports, but will provide a broader perspective of management performance.

The assessment results will be used to locate departments in terms of four progressive levels of management performance. A department which scores at level one overall has insufficient capability, is largely non-compliant and is performing poorly in terms of its management practices. In such cases, intense support is required.  In contrast, a department which scores at level four overall has excellent capability, is fully compliant and is performing above expectations. In such cases, good practice case studies will be developed and disseminated through learning networks.

Provincial departments will be assessed by the Offices of the Premier and national departments will be assessed by DPME. The results of the assessments will be presented to the provincial Executive Councils and to Cabinet, with recommendations for actions to be taken to improve the performance of departments.

And having said all of this I want to say thank you very much.

Enquiries:
Penny Ntuli (Ms)
Chief Director: Cluster Coordinator
076 794 9120

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS)