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28 June 2005

INTRODUCTION

The Government Programme of Action (POA) was posted on the Government website on 7 March 2005 and the Governance and Administration (G&A) Cluster reports every two months to the G&A Cabinet Committee.  This briefing reflects the report given to the Governance and Administration (G&A) Cabinet Committee on 14 June 2005, which was approved by Cabinet on 22 June 2005. The Cluster has three broad priorities:

1. capability needs for the developmental state, which focuses on the capacity of the public service and local government to implement the social and economic objectives of government, as well as related human resource management issues and anti-corruption;

2. macro-organisation of the state, which includes the work on an integrated public sector, intergovernmental relations and integrated service delivery; and

3. planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation, which encompasses the alignment of planning, the hands-on engagement with local government “Project Consolidate”, the establishment of a government-wide monitoring and evaluation framework, statistical capacity and the African Peer Review Mechanism.

1. CAPABILITY NEEDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE

1.1 Public Service Capacity

A paper on the Capacity and Organisation of the State prepared by the Presidency was presented to an extended Cabinet meeting on 13 April 2005.  The paper was subsequently revised and presented to an extended Cabinet meeting on 11 May 2005.  Work is currently underway based on the President’s address during the occasion of the Budget Vote of the Presidency on 25 May 2005. 

An analysis of the status quo in respect of the gender representation in the public service is in progress and a draft report with analysis and suggested interventions has been prepared. The Office of the Public Service Commission has undertaken research on the roles of executive and administrative heads. Work is underway to pilot in selected departments an integrated system of capturing and tracking skills development. Amendments to the Public Service Act have been drafted.

1.2 Anti-Corruption

As part of government’s drive to build the capability of the State to take forward our development and freedom, we also have to ensure that we prevent corruption eating away at our gains as a young democracy. Corruption endangers key elements of our capability, such as confidence in the rule of law and the institutions that uphold this rule, confidence in the integrity of governance systems, equal and easy access to quality services, etc. And this is not a task that Government can undertake on its own; it requires the participation and active collaboration of all sectors of our society.

The National Anti-Corruption Programme has been based on achieving a consensus about how we must collaboratively fight corruption while recognising the differing roles and capabilities of the participating sectors.

The National Anti-Corruption Forum adopted its Programme of Action on Friday 24 June 2005 at the CSIR in Pretoria.

The Forum reconfirmed the appointment of an Implementation Committee of the National Anti-corruption Programme. This Implementation Committee will translate the Programme into practical implementation projects. This Committee consists of the Director-General: Public Service and Administration, Prof RM Levin, the CEO of Business against Crime, Mr K Fihla, and the Convenor of the Civil Society Network against Corruption, Ms JG February.

The Forum received a brief report on the Fourth Global Forum on Fighting Corruption that was held in Brasilia from 7 to 10 June 2005 and it expressed its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of South Africa for including representatives of the Forum in its official delegation to the Fourth Global Forum. The Forum looks forward to the full report of the delegation.

While we will be busy with the implementation of the National Anti-corruption Programme, Government will continue to implement the programmes it launched in previous years as well as new projects identified in support of the Second National Anti-Corruption Summit’s resolutions.

Cabinet has, on recommendation of the G&A Cabinet Committee, agreed that South Africa accepts the unanimous resolution of countries of the world that South Africa will be the next host of Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity in 2007.

The NACF noted the invitation to the Government of South Africa to host the Fifth Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity in 2007 and expressed support for the Government’s decision to accept the invitation. The Forum welcomed Government’s decision to make this an African event through the inclusion of African partners. This will also provide an opportunity for Africa to showcase its achievements in the area of good governance. The Forum will be involved in the planning process for the 2007 Global Forum.

The Department of Home Affairs is also aware that there are people who fake their deaths in order to avoid certain duties and responsibilities. The Department is also aware that false registration of deaths is also instigated by greedy people who collude with hospitals and medical practitioners to claim benefits for insurance and other financial benefits. This is pure corruption and it must be reported to the police. If people know of anybody who indulges in such a corrupt practice they should feel free to report it to the nearest Police or the National Anti-Corruption Hotline Number at 0800 701 701.

The Department of Home Affairs has finalised its Corruption and Fraud Prevention Plan whose objectives include encouraging a culture within the Department where all employees, the public and other stakeholders continuously behave ethically in their dealings with, or on behalf of, the Department; improving accountability, efficiency and effective administration within the Department.

1.3 Induction and Reorientation

The development of course material for the compulsory induction and reorientation programme for public servants is expected to be completed by the end of June. The proposal for sustainable pools of middle managers has been revised and resubmitted.  Courses for middle and senior managers continue to be rolled out. In 2004/5 10 000 person training days were generated through the Advanced Management Development Programme. A second-generation mentorship programme has been developed.

1.4 Human Resource Management

SAMDI has developed and plans extensive rollout of a Human Resource Planning course.  The Senior Management Service (SMS) and levels 1 - 12 performance management systems have been revised.  Research has commenced into the public service remuneration framework with specific reference to professionals.  Departments are reviewing the grading of certain occupations. Requests for the payment of scarce skills allowances are being considered by DPSA.  Draft guidelines on the deployment of senior managers within the public service have been developed.

Proposals have been made regarding a framework to improve the physical working environment.  There is a need to develop prioritisation criteria for improvements to the physical work environment, given the size of the backlogs versus the funds available.  This will be done as part of the development of the framework. Draft modernised office norms and a policy on government-wide immovable asset management have been developed.  A plan for improving the physical work environment for national departments’ headquarters in Tshwane and Tshwane municipality is under implementation.

2. MACRO-ORGANISATION OF THE STATE

2.1 Integrated Public Sector and Intergovernmental Relations

The Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Framework Bill was passed by the National Assembly on the 24 May 2005 and by the NCOP on 22 June 2005. It will be submitted to the President for his assent. Discussions are underway between the Ministers of Finance, Provincial and Local Government and Public Service and Administration on the approach to the Local Government: Municipal Employment Bill and whether it is required.  Following a presentation to a ministerial committee, further consultation was required regarding the policy framework on the governance and human resource practices of public entities. An implementation strategy for the establishment of a unified system of public administration and management is undergoing further refinement.

2.2 Integrated Service Delivery

Phase 1 of the Batho Pele Gateway is being enhanced by the addition of updated content, language editing, content translation and the migration of the portal to a more robust infrastructure.  There were 680 visits to the portal in March 2005, 769 in April and 706 in May.  There were 35 476 pages viewed in March 2005, 39 779 in April 2005 and 40 193 in May 2005.  Usage remains low.  The communication strategy is being strengthened to boost usage. 

Sixty-six MPCCs were operational as at March 2005.  Rollout is on track to have an MPCC in every district by September 2005.  Gateway Service Centres (GSCs) have been established at nine MPCCs and 18 new GSCs are under development. 

A survey was conducted of MPCC usage in five provinces for April 2005 and May 2005.  More than 60 000 users visited MPCCs in these provinces during this period.  The main users of MPCCs were women and the youth.  The main services requested were from the Departments of Home Affairs (IDs and birth certificates) and Social Development (social grants) and the South African Police Service (affidavits and forms).  In Gauteng there was also a demand for the services of the Department of Labour (skills development and learnerships), while in Limpopo there was a demand for food parcels.

A total of 1367 Community Development Workers (CDWs) have entered the CDW learnership programme since its inception. Of the 577 who have already completed the learnership, 199 have been absorbed in the public service. The programme is on course to meet the 2840 target by March 2006.

The learnership is in progress in all provinces. By August 2005 the 1367 cadres will all have completed the learnership and ready for deployment. New intake begins July 2005. Mentors are currently undergoing training.

Progress towards an integrated community work approach is being made. Meetings with several departments have been held, with the general consensus to convene a broader interdepartmental conference or workshop to discuss the challenge of how to synergise the various community work initiatives across the government departments. Work has also begun to involve civil society organisations in the rollout of the programme.

The relationship with municipalities, ward committees, local community based organisations and other government departments are a priority. Joint programmes are being explored in some sectors, e.g. the youth sector. Some municipalities are already assisting with the implementation of the programme.

One of the challenges facing the implementation of the programme is funding for the absorption of CDWs within the public service. Another is conceiving an integrated service delivery framework, as well as strengthening of inter-governmental relations.

The Department of Home Affairs provides citizens with enabling documents such as birth and marriage certificates, identity documents and passports. As part of government’s interventions towards improving the standards and quality of service in accordance with Batho Pele, Home Affairs offices are opened on Saturdays from 8:00 to 13:00 in all the Provinces.  This seeks to accommodate those who cannot visit the Home Affairs offices during the normal office hours by providing them with extra opportunities to access the services needed. This exercise is also aimed at mobilising people to apply and collect their IDs so they can vote in the forth-coming local government elections.

The Department of Home Affairs has launched the ‘Know Your Home Affairs Services’ booklet which seeks to explain in a simple and understandable manner, the importance of applying for enabling documents from Home Affairs, the requirements for applying for each service, associated costs, how long it takes and most of the relevant information related to Home Affairs services.

2.3 Batho Pele

Rollout of the Batho Pele Change Management Campaign has commenced in Limpopo.  Forty trainers have been trained.  A checklist and reporting template have been developed for use in the Service Delivery Watch initiative, where members of the executive make unannounced visits to service delivery points.

During this year’s celebration of the Africa Public Service Day, held on 23 June 2005, members of the executive visited service delivery points throughout the country. Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, visited several education district offices in Cape Town to identify backlogs service delivery. On the same day, Minister for Public Service and Administration, accompanied by the Prime Minister of Namibia, Honourable Nahas Angula visited the Manenburg police station in Cape Town. Similar unannounced visits were carried out throughout the country on the Africa Public Service Day. Members of the executive intend deepening this initiative in the public service.

2.4 Project Consolidate

Government is ready to rollout Project Consolidate, a hands-on programme of support for local government. Last week Cabinet Ministers, Premiers, MECs for local government, the leadership of the South African Local Government Association, and mayors from the first 136 Project Consolidate municipalities met in Cape Town to consider programmes of action to be launched in these municipalities before the end of July 2005.

The programmes of action will be municipality specific, spelling out what exactly will be done with regard to the delivery of sustainable services such as water, electricity, sanitation, refuse removal, housing and within what timeframes.

In the meantime, municipalities are already receiving specific capacity in terms of human resources. Civil, electrical and water engineers have been made available to municipalities that currently do not have capacity to assist with tasks such as assessing the requirements to stabilise electricity and water networks.

In dealing with municipal financial viability issues, financial management, fiscal discipline and billing systems, skilled people in the area of municipal finance have been made available to serve in interim management capacities where it has been difficult for municipalities to recruit or retain such capacity. And in other instances, training programmes are being designed to skill municipal employees to utilise recently acquired service delivery equipment.

In addressing municipal transformation and institutional development issues, human resources practitioners have been made available to assist with the tasks such as developing organisational structures that are responsive to the institutional and delivery challenges faced by a municipality, and assessing the skills and competencies of current staff compliments.

Legal skills have also been made available to other municipalities to provide advice for the resolution of labour related disputes that have hampered service delivery and general developmental work.

3. PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING AND EVALUATION

3.1 Planning

The key imperative is to improve the joint and integrated impact of government actions within municipal areas. This requires better alignment between the three spheres of government centred on a common vision and approach to spatial prioritisation and resource allocation. The context for this work is the Cabinet approved report on IDP/ PGDS/ NSDP harmonisation. To this end, three sub-projects are underway: (i) the review and update of the National Spatial Development Perspective (NSDP); (ii) the development of good practice guidelines for the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies (PGDSs); and (iii) supporting the improvement of District / Metro IDPs.  IDP review hearings have been held in nine provinces and the metros to facilitate intergovernmental alignment and improve IDPs. A number of lessons have emerged out of the hearings that have relevance for FOSAD’s work on the capability of the state. A report on the IDP hearings is being finalised and will be presented to Cabinet.

3.2 Participatory Governance

A two-day National Conference on Public Participation and Strengthening of Ward Committee was held at the end of March 2005, resulting in draft resolutions and guidelines on the operations and functioning of Ward Committees and Public Participation in Local Government. 

The National Imbizo Focus Week had a record 487 events with increased participation especially in the local sphere.  A Presidential Municipal Imbizo Programme was initiated in 2005.  A key purpose is to align Project Consolidate and the Izimbizo programme of government. In May 2005 the first Presidential Municipal Imbizo was held in the Bojanala District Municipality in the North West Province.

3.3 Government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

A framework for a government-wide monitoring and evaluation was approved by Cabinet, and a proposal on the design of a government-wide monitoring and evaluation system has been developed.  An audit of reporting requirements and departmental monitoring and evaluation systems in the public service is underway.  An early warning system, which will alert government to imminent service delivery failures, has been developed.

3.4 Strong Information Base

A database for phase 1 of the development indicators has been developed as part of the Government-Wide Monitoring and Evaluation Proposal and Implementation Plan. It will be submitted to Cabinet together with the proposal and implementation plan.  In creating addresses throughout the country, Statistics South Africa has created 6500 address points in Thaba Nchu.  Projects have commenced in the Durban metro, Mingaville and Umzimvubu.

4. African Peer Review Mechanism

The African Peer Review Mechanism is a self-monitoring instrument that was acceded to member states of the African Union at the 6th summit of the Heads of States and Government Implementation Committee of NEPAD. Its primary purpose is to foster the adoption of appropriate laws, policies, standards and practices that lead political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration.

South Africa’s participation in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process provides an opportunity to achieve various strategic objectives. It will contribute to strengthening the national mechanisms and processes for assessing Government’s performance in delivering on its developmental objectives and at the same time promote a broader sense of ownership for the People’s Contract.

The Minister for the Public Service and Administration has been granted the overall responsibility for the South African Peer Review Process as the Focal Point. The Steps required from South Africa’s Focal Point will be to conduct consultations with all major role players, to disseminate the questionnaire and to receive inputs based on the questionnaire and to draft the self assessment report and program of action reflecting a high degree of national consensus and lastly to establish a governance structure (National Peer Review Governing Council) for the APR process after national consultation with all major role players.

Initial consultations are underway and preparations are currently being made for a national consultation with all major role players. The point of convergence for all stakeholders, Government and non-state actors, will be the National Peer Review Governing Council. Members of the Council will be drawn from Government and the South African Peer Review Civil Society Forum, comprising all sectors in civil society.

5. Enhancing the Credibility of the National Population Register (NPR)

The National Population Register (NPR) is one of the central pillars for good governance and the management of the state and nationhood. The Department of Home Affairs is, in essence, the database of information about the citizens of this country and those who visit it. This information is required for citizens to be able to gain access to services that are provided in both the private and public sector.

Access to banking services, education, healthcare, voting, travel and other services in both public and private sector are dependent on documents that the Department provides.

As we continue to implement our programmes to improve people’s lives, Home Affairs has observed a growing trend of discrepancies and inaccuracies in regard to misspelled names and surnames, wrong pictures, people sharing ID numbers, incorrect birth dates and wrong gender which seem to suggest that the Department could be erring in recording details of citizens in the population register.

We are also sensitive to the fact that some of the people have, as a result of these errors, lost their access to social grants, have had their bank accounts closed, lost potential employment opportunities, and others have been subjected to the shame of consulting doctors to confirm their gender status before effecting corrections in the National Population Register.

To enable people to correct their wrong or erroneous details on their documents thus restoring their dignity, the Department of Home Affairs has launched the "Lokisa Ditokomane/Lungisa Izincwadi Campaign, a national verification campaign to enable citizens to rectify the changes in their documents which have been wrongly recorded free of charge until 31 July 2005. We would like to appeal to all South Africans to come forward and check their details with a view to correcting them, if erroneous.

Issued by: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
28 June 2005