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Honourable Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen

Thank you for inviting me to share with you the Public Service's approach in promoting a more representative Public Service. This approach which I will deal with I will deal with, obviously relates to the first and second tiers of government only. I trust, however, that our approach and experiences will also assist policy-merks in embarking on appropriate action plans at local levels of government.

The policies of apartheid have left us with a Public Service dominated at certain levels, especially the higher echelons, by Whit males. This situation is one for the greatest challenges we face in transforming the Public Service to an organisation that the majority of the population will be able to identify with, and which will be committed to and capable of executing the policies of our new government. As mentioned in the RDP White Paper, the Government of National Unity intends establishing a pro-active programme to stamp out racism, gender inequality and other forms of inequalities within the framework of the Constitution.

The Constitution prescribes unequivocally that the Public Service shall be broadly representative of the South African community, whereas the Public Service Act, 1994, inter alia regulates personnel provisioning and utilisation in the Public Service.

It is interesting to note that the Constitution, in addition to the prescripts of the Public Service Act, 1994, also contains prescripts with regard to the nature of the Public Service and the manner in which personnel provisioning and utilisation must be effected. The Constitution determines that employment in the public Service must be characterised by career-orientatedness, fairness, justness, efficiency, accessibility, objectivity and the extent to which a person is qualified.

From these constitutional objectives it should be quite clear that the pursuance of all the relevant constitutional aims and objectives should be undertaken in a well-considered manner. In order to do so, a comprehensive and well balanced policy framework is necessary, in order to give effect to the objective of broader representivity on the one hand and in order to heed the other equally important objectives on the other hand.

The Office of the Public Service Commission has done a lot of research and preparatory work in respect of the formulation of an appropriate policy framework for the promotion of broader representivity in the Public Service. It is intended, for purposes of transparency and participation, to finalise the formulation of the said policy in consultation with the various employee organisations represented in the Chamber of the Public Service Bargaining Council at Central Level, in so far as it touches upon matters of mutual interest as prescribed by the Public Service Labour Relations Act, 1994.

It interesting to note that the Constitution, in addition to the prescripts of the Public Service Act, 1994, also contains prescripts with regard to the nature of the Public Service and the manner in which personnel provisioning and utilisation must be effected. The Constitution is very clear in this regard. As manifestation hereof the Constitution determines that employment in the Public Service must be characterised by career-orientatedness, fairness, justness, efficiency, accessibility, objectivity and the extent to which a person is qualified.

From these constitutional objectives it should be quite clear that the pursuance of all the relevant constitutional aims and objectives should be undertaken in a well-considered manner. In order to do so, a comprehensive and well balanced policy framework is necessary, in order to give effect to the objective to broader representivity on the one hand and in order to heed the other equally important objectives on the other hand.

The Office of the Public Service Commission has done a lot of research and preparatory work in respect of the formulation of an appropriate policy framework for the promotion of broader representivity in the Public Service. It is intended, for purposes of transparency and participation, to finalise the formulation of the said policy in consultation with the various employee organisations represented in the Chamber of the Public Service Bargaining Council at Central Level, in so far as it touches upon matters of mutual interest as prescribed by the Public Service Labour Relations Act, 1984.

In view of the pending negotiations with employee organisations in the Public Service prior to the finalisation and implementation of a policy pertaining to broader representivity, it will not be appropriate for me to divulge any specific details at this stage. I am nonetheless prepared to share with the delegates of this Conference, some basic points that will in all probability have to be incorporated into a policy framework which, because they are based on practical realities, cannot be negated.

The Public Service is a large organisaiton comprising literally hundreds of difference occupational disciplines. In view of the size and diverse nature of the Public Service, it will no doubt be appreciated that the objective of broader representivity cannot be pursued in either a haphazard manner or an ad hoc basis. A planned approach aimed at achieving a Public Service which is representative in terms of, inter alia, race and gender at all levels and spread over the broad spectrum of the various occupational classes and even post classes, is essential.

The Constitution has enshrined the concept "broadly representative". This concept has been used in many countries. Its introduction has always been intended to address problems of patronage, spoil system, nepotism, cronyism and the negative growth of a bureaucratic class. The end result is to have proportionate representation in the Public Service.

The meaning of representativeness has two interpretations : Active or functional representativeness. In this case "individuals or administrators are expected to press for the interests and desires of those whom they are presumed to represent, whether they be the whole people or some segment of the people".

The second is passive or descriptive representativeness. This interpretation concerns the origin of individuals and the degree to which, collectively, they mirror the whole society when in the service.

Obviously, a service drawn from diverse groups at all levels, whether class, or income or education, or race or gender or combination of these will bring to bear upon decisions and activities, different perspectives, knowledge, values and abilities.

The Public Service constitutes over 300 occupational classes, which in turn is spread over a number of post levels. From this it follows that any approach aimed at making the Public Service more representative, will have to be designed in accordance with this reality. Therefore, if areas of shortcoming are to be identified, it will have to be done in respect of both occupational classes and post levels, it not, actions to promote representivity will lead to the overshooting of targets in some areas and the falling short of targets in other areas. A typical example in this regard, will for instance be that a large number of persons from under-represented.

The aforementioned scenario is clearly unacceptable, hence the necessity that the methodology employed by the Public Service, with a view to pursuing the objective of broader representivity, must be based on an analytical and prioritised approach. This entails the identification of areas of shortcoming as regards representivity, as well as the prioritisation of these areas in terms of affordability and the practical possibility of effecting the desired change, in order to ensure that the more urgent areas are addressed.

The maintenance of a central data base on the personnel composition of the entire Public Service, as it is reflected at the various post levels and within the various occupational disciplines, by the Office of the Public Service Commission, is necessary in order to undertake the identification and prioritisation of the aforementioned areas of shortcoming. A recent of survey of the composition of national departments in terms of population group and gender indicated that :

* Approximately 85 percent of personnel in the management echelon are White males, only about 10 percent Black males, 1,5 percent Coloured males and 1 percent Indian males.

* White females represent 2 percent of the total number of managerial personnel, Black females 0,6 percent, Indian females 0,06 percent and Coloured women are not represented at all.

* At middle management level, females are better represented. However, gross inequalities between the population groups still exist with Whites representing approximately 48 percent of the total, Coloured 41 percent, Blacks, 7 percent and Indians, 5 percent.

* Inequalities between the sexes and population groups are less severe at the lower levels. Blacks comprise 50 percent of the total, Whites 36 percent, Coloureds, 10 percent , and Indians, 4 percent.

Although these statistics are in need of careful scrutiny in order to address areas of shortcoming meaningfully, you will agree, having heard these statistics, that especially the management levels are in need of serious attention, whilst it is also quite apparent that especially Black females are hugely under-represented at all the relevant levels and should as such be afforded priority attention, You will thus agree with me, ladies and gentlemen, that statistical analyses are imperative in order to identify and prioritise areas of shortcoming.

Once an authoritative data base is in place, the Office of the Public Service Commission will be able to develop programmes necessary for the implementation and execution by the various government departments and provinces. The content of these programmes will be very comprehensive, in the sense that they will comprise all pertinent measures and actions necessary to support the relevant programmes.

Although the Office of the Public Service Commission will manage these programmes on an overhead basis in respect of the entire Public Service, the responsibility to realise the objective of a broadly representative Public Service will not be vested solely in the Public Service Commission. In fact, management at all the various levels within departments and at provincial level, supported by Provincial Service Commissions where such are instituted, will form the focal points of a more representative Public Service.

Each department or province will be required to devise a departmental or provincial action plan on an annual basis. Additional to the implementation of any special programmes instituted by the Public Service Commission, each of the various departments and provinces will have to analyse their own situations and identify their own strategies with a view to addressing circumstances which are unique to their relevant departments and provinces. In collaboration with the Public Service Commission, special programmes for specific departments and/or provinces can be instituted. Also of great importance is the fact that it will be expected of the virus departments and provinces to furnish the Public Service Commission with progress reports on an annual basis.

The normal personnel provisioning and utilisation policies and measure applicable to the Public Service may, in certain circumstances, hamper efforts aimed at achieving broader representivity. The Public Service may, however, at request, initiate or recommend specific interim ad hoc measures with a view to supporting departmental or provincial initiatives. I necessary, the Commission can even consider the relaxation of measures or the introduction of special interim ad hoc measures for a specific period in order to enhance the specific initiatives. It is obvious, however, that any such special programmes or measures can only be introduced after consultation or negotiations, in order to inter alia protect the right and legitimate expectations of serving personnel.

Since training is one of the main pillars on which the policy pertaining to representivity will be based, the implementation of training measures to promote this constitutional objective, is essential. On this issue I would like to focus on a few important aspects.

Firstly, as regards the training and retraining of serving personnel in the Public Service, it can be said that it is an ongoing process. However, the training of senior management as regards the management of a culturally and linguistically diverse personnel corps will, of necessity, receive priority attention in order to establish a culture which will be receptive to the promotion of representivity.

Furthermore, training and retraining will be used as a vehicle to create a broadly representative Public Service. In other words, individuals brought in under the concept of "broadly representativity" will be granted opportunities through the Public Service Training Institute to further advance their technical, managerial, and effective and efficient service delivery skills.

Secondly, in order to enable new appointees and participants in special programmes to fulfil prescribed requirements and operational standards, special training programmes, geared at equipping such persons with the necessary line function and managerial knowledge and skills, sustained by methods such as monitoring, will be implemented.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is an exercise that cannot and will not be overlooked in the Public Service, since the Constitution inter alia directs that the Public Service, since the Constitution inter alia directs that the Public Service must be broadly representative, as well as efficient, and this is exactly what training is all about - to maintain and enhance levels of efficiency.

There currently exists a myriad of training courses offered by the Public Service, ranging from inter alia job-related training to managerial courses. These will be utilised in conjunction with any special training programmes, with a view to enhancing continuity and the development of personnel. In addition to these training programmes, bursaries will also be granted to candidates from under-represented groups in order to equip them academically for careers in the Public Service.

To summarise, ladies and gentlemen, broad representivity will, in accordance with the envisaged policy, be pursued by means of departmental actions plans, as well as special measures recommended or special programmes initiated by the Public Service Commission. Departments and provinces and where applicable, Provincial Service Commissions, may also initiate special programmes in this regard in collaboration with the Public Service Commission.

Although a comprehensive policy framework will only be implemented once negotiations with the various employee organisations have taken place, the pursuance of broader representivity in the Public Service is already receiving serious attention and the following short-term actions have already been effected, with the concurrence of the various employee organisations.

* The establishment of a component in the Office of the Public Service Commission to assist the Commission in dealing with issues relating to representivity.

* The establishment of an organisational component in each department to assist departmental management in promoting representivity.

* The establishment of a data base to analyse the composition of the Public Service continuously

* The promotion of the Public Service as a career amongst under-represented groups.

* The granting of bursaries in order to enable needy students from under-represented groups to equip themselves academically for careers in the Public Service.

* The introduction of special training courses to enable prospective and serving members to meet the prescribed requirements and operational standards.

* The advertisement of approximately 11 000 posts at virtually all levels in order to enable suitably equipped candidates from inter alia under-represented groups to enter the Public Service in an equitable manner.

From what I have said, it should be clear that both the Public Service Commission and I are affording this matter the urgent and serious attention it so rightly deserves. It should also be clear that, although a policy framework has not yet been finalised, the matter has not been left unaddressed. Specific short-term actions to enhance this process have already been effected, in order to fulfil the constitutionally directed objective of a broadly representative Public Service.

Honourable Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion I would like to emphasise that the Public Service simply cannot afford tokenism. All persons recruited and appointed in order to promote represetivity will not only be selected on merit, which means that they will possess the required potential, but will also be utilised in an effective and meaningful manner, implying bona fide empowerment. Therefore, when taking actions, or dealing with measures and programmes aimed at promoting representivity, public servants can rest assured that there will be no grounds for them to be negatively stereotyped as is so often the case in endeavours aimed at promoting representivity.

I thank you
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