[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

Departmental units across the provincial government are showing increasing enthusiasm about the Premier's Good Governance Awards as teams of inspectors are going throughout the provincial administration and its district offices assisting units in completing the application forms for the awards. This is according to one of the inspectors of the performance evaluation directorate of the Office of the Premier, Mr. Vuyani Bikitsha, who is currently in the Eastern Region with other inspectors.

Five teams of inspectors, from yesterday, are visiting the EG Kei, Eastern, Northern, Western and Central regions of the provincial administration targeting all institutions including schools, clinics, hospitals and other government service centres. Some departments have already identified their flagship programmes to enter the competition and are currently busy completing the application forms, while others are still in the process of identifying potential pockets of service excellence. For an example the Department of Health in the Eastern Region has identified three health institutions viz. Upper Xongora clinic, Mbekweni Health Centre in Viedgesville and Ngcengane Clinic, which are all believed to be good examples with regard to their adherence to the Batho Pele principles. The groups of inspectors began with the roadshow on 16 July 2001 to build the awareness of the Premier's Good Governance Awards and also call on departments to identify possible entries. They also offered explanation on the application forms and questionnaire to be completed by entrants.

All departments, units or public service institutions have up to the 31 August 2001 to submit their application forms in order to be in the race for the excellence awards set to be handed over on 30 November 2001 at a gala function in East London.

A panel of high profile, independent judges from academic institutions, business community, the media and non-governmental organisations from across the country is currently being put together and when the final committee is set up names would be released in the spirit of openness as outlined in the Batho Pele - White Paper on the transformation of public service delivery.

A call is being made to members of the community to identify areas of excellence in departments, clinics, hospitals, schools and other service centres that could be considered and submit those to Mrs Mwale, Office of the Premier at 040 - 6096171/6096169.

Contact: Manelisi Wolela at 082-4147768

Issued by Office of the Premier, Eastern Cape

14 August 2001