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Achievements, challenges and priorities of the

Public Service Commission

May 2004

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Presentation Outline

• Public Administration challenges in the first ten years of democracy

• Overview of PSC approach• Primary focus areas• Medium term strategic framework• Financial reports• Achievements, challenges and priorities• Looking ahead

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Public Administration challenges in the first ten years

1. Emerging from apartheid, challenges were building effective governance structures and systems, specifically:

2. Restructuring the state from an authoritarian, control-based institution to one that is developmental

3. Creation of a practical, useful ethics framework 4. Decentralization of financial accountability, human resource

management and decision making5. Promotion of monitoring and evaluation practices and

transparent reporting systems 6. Overall reorientation from a rules-based to service oriented

approaches 7. Improving intergovernmental relations and inter-sectoral

coordination

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Overview of PSC’s strategic approach and achievements

• Restructuring of the PSC as an independent Constitutional commission to support Parliament’s oversight role.

• PSC has played an active, developmental role involving itself in providing support to policy making and implementation

• The PSC’s approach has been largely research based investigating actual, international and best practices.

• Findings from research and investigations have been used to develop improvement-oriented recommendations

• The PSC has prioritised investigations into mal-administration and advised Executing Authorities on appropriate responses

• The PSC has consciously avoided sensationalism while striving to rigorously identify strengths and weaknesses in public administration

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Primary focus areas

1. PSC has done work in various areas:

2. Governance Monitoring and evaluation

3. Leadership and performance management and improvement

4. Service delivery improvement and quality assurance

5. Labour relations improvement

6. Public administration investigations

7. Human resource management and conditions of service

8. Anti Corruption and professional ethics promotion

9. Institution building.

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Medium term strategic framework (1)

1. Key performance areas and objectives

2. Governance Monitoring

To provide regular, useful and timely information to relevant stakeholders on public administration governance frameworks

3. Leadership and performance improvementTo promote a high standard of public service leadership and to promote improved public service delivery

4. Service delivery and quality assuranceTo provide regular, useful and timely information to stakeholders on service delivery and quality assurance

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Medium term strategic framework (2)

• Key performance areas and objectives (continued)

4. Labour relations improvement

To enhance public service labour relations and management practices

5. Public Administration Investigations

To undertake audits and investigations into public administration practices

6. Professional ethics and human resource reviews

To promote professional ethics and provide professional advice on strategic human

resource issues

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R’ 000 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7

Economic Classification

Compensation of employees

53 636 56 627 59 967

Goods & Services 18 682 20 461 22 048

Capital payments 542 729 760

Transfers to Municipalities

221 233 247

Total 73 081 78 050 83 022

BUDGET FOR THE 2004 - 2007 MTEF PERIOD

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R’ 000 Prog: 1

Admin

Prog: 2

IHRR

Prog: 3

M&E

Total

Per Economic Classification

Salaries and Wages

20 157 13 672 12 782 46 611

Social Contributions

2 952 2 120 1 953 7 025

Goods & Services 7 780 5 956 4 946 18 682

Capital payments 542 0 0 542

Transfers to Municipalities

67 103 51 221

Total 31 498 21 851 19 732 73 081

BUDGET FOR THE 2004/05 FINANCIAL YEAR

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Governance Monitoring achievements

• Development of a differentiated M&E programme • Creation of an integrated Public Service M&E system • Production of three State of the Public Service reports • Evaluation of Multi Purpose Community Centres• An Evaluation of departmental Annual Reports

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Leadership and Performance Improvement achievements

1. Performance management:

2. Development of a framework for Evaluation of Heads of Department and its implementation

3. Evaluation of the implementation of the HoD evaluation framework

4. Evaluation of SMS performance agreements

5. Evaluation of the implementation of performance management and development systems

6. Completion of various detailed programme evaluations including Housing, Land Administration and Transport.

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Service delivery and quality assurance achievements

• Completion of a survey into compliance with Batho Pele requirements

• Completion of a Citizens’ Satisfaction Survey • Facilitation of Citizens’ Forum for Service Delivery Improvement

• Production of good management guides in schools and policing.

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Governance monitoring challenges

• Consolidation of the Public Service M&E system and consistent release of regular reports

• Promoting implementation of various M&E recommendations • Promotion of M&E practices in all public service institutions • Aligning M&E systems with streamlined reporting requirements • Promoting the implementation of whole of government systems

for central departments

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Leadership and performance improvement challenges

• Developing and consolidating the performance management system for heads of departments

• Establishment of a performance monitoring system for heads of departments

• Evaluating the effectiveness of the cluster system of government

• Developing methodologies for cross sectoral programme evaluations

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Service delivery and quality assurance challenges

• Promoting compliance with Batho Pele principles • Identifying citizens’ service delivery needs and encouraging

appropriate improvements • Supporting coordinated service delivery • Promoting people centered governance • Building mechanisms for public participation in governance • Promotion of good management practices to enhance service

delivery

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Governance monitoring priorities

• Support for the development of a national M&E framework • Monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of

poverty alleviation programmes • Evaluation of the implementation and impact of the

Administrative Justice Act • Review of departmental M&E systems and reporting

requirements • Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of the

PSC

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Leadership and performance improvement priorities

• Strengthening the performance management and monitoring system for heads of departments

• Implementation of a performance monitoring system for heads of departments

• Evaluating the quality of heads of departments performance agreements

• Evaluating the management of the heads of departments evaluation process

• Evaluation of cross-sectoral programme: poverty relief programmes

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Service delivery and quality assurance priorities

• Monitoring and evaluation of adherence to the Batho Pele principles

• Roll out of Citizens’ Forums for service delivery improvements • Implementation of Citizens’ Satisfaction surveys • Development and dissemination of good practice guides

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Labour relations achievements (1)

1. Management of discipline:

2. Report on the management of misconduct related suspensions and dismissals

3. Evaluation of the management of discipline in the public service

4. Development of guidelines for appeals

5. Development of guidelines for the management of suspensions

6. Monitoring the outcomes of disciplinary proceedings relating to financial misconduct

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Labour relations achievements (2)

1. Grievances and complaints: 2. Provision of grievance resolution mechanisms 3. Development of a new PSCBC-approved grievance

procedure in 20034. Dealing with a total of 269 grievances over the past 5 years 5. Receipt of complaints on mal-administration, corruption,

service failures, dishonesty and impropriety6. Gazetting of a PSC complaints procedure for members of the

public 7. Development of rules for summonsing in investigation

proceedings 8. Investigations resulting from complaints (e.g. Dept. of Public

Enterprises and Dept of Correctional Services.)

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Human resource reviews achievements (1)

1. Affirmative action:

2. Evaluation of representativeness in the public service

3. Investigation into disability equity

4. Ongoing monitoring of the implementation of affirmative action and employment equity in the public service

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Human resource reviews achievements (2)

1. Verification of qualifications

2. Verification of SMS members’ qualifications

3. Verification of middle managers’ qualifications (Levels 11 and 12)

4. Overarching reviews of conditions of service and subsequent policy changes relating to:

5. Management of leave and remunerated overtime

6. Management of sick leave

7. Management of subsidized motor vehicle scheme

8. Investigation into medical boarding practices

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Human resource reviews achievements (3)

1. Career management:

2. Survey on the development of departmental career management programmes

3. Evaluation of induction, mentoring and coaching practices of the SMS

4. Evaluation of the causes and effects of senior management mobility

1. Recruitment and selection:

2. Development of a recruitment and selection manual

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Professional ethics achievements (1)

1. Prevention of corruption:

2. Promotion of professional ethics

3. Development of a Code of Conduct for the public service

4. Development of an explanatory manual on the code of conduct (and its current translation into 11 languages)

5. Facilitation of various workshops, short courses, some in partnership with other institutions

6. Promotion of fraud prevention and risk management in the

public service

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Professional ethics achievements (2)

• PSC played a central role in implementing the Resolutions of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Summit:

1. Completion of an audit of Anti Corruption Agencies

2. An audit of the anti corruption capabilities of departments

3. An analysis of the implementation challenges around blacklisting

4. Implementation of a financial disclosure framework for senior managers

5. Report on national hotlines

6. Launch of the National Anti Corruption Forum

7. Completion of a national multi-sectoral ethics survey

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Labour relations and human resource reviews challenges

• HIV/AIDS • Promoting and monitoring compliance with public service

HIV/AIDS policy

• Improving departmental labour relations • Proposals for enhancements to systems for the management

of discipline and grievances

• Improvement of staff retention and succession planning

• Improving representivity

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Public administration investigations challenges

• Developing investigative methodology, practice and guidelines

• Building the PSC’s forensic investigation capability

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Professional ethics challenges

• Ongoing PSC contributions to overall government strategy • Promote implementation of departmental minimum anti

corruption capability • Strengthening the financial disclosures framework and its

implementation by departments • Ongoing promotion of ethical practices and conduct in the public

service • Promoting implementation of legislation that promotes

accountability and transparency (e.g. AJA; PAIA)• Collaboration in the delivery of training in integrated ethics

management for public service managers • Promoting systems and procedures for the protection and

integrity of whistle-blowing

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Labour relations priorities

• Development and promotion of guidelines for new grievance procedure

• Monitoring labour relations by observing various forums such as PSCBC, NEDLAC, national departments labour relations forums

• Feasibility study into the establishment of a Labour-related journal

• Researching the effectiveness of employee assistance programmes

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Public administration investigations priorities

• Investigations on own accord including nepotism/favouritism in recruitment and selection and misrepresentation of qulificaqtions on a cross functional basis

• Investigation of hotline cases emerging from national anti-corruption hotline system

• Responding to requests for focused investigations• Provide forensic expertise and advice

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Human resource reviews priorities

• Provision of advice on strategic matters (e.g. HIV/ AIDS impacts)

• Review of public service gender mainstreaming initiatives • Evaluation of vacancy rates and competency levels within

middle management

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Professional ethics priorities

• Implementation of public service anti-corruption hotline• Promoting and supporting implementation of disciplinary codes • Promoting adherence to the Access to Information Act • Promotion of the Code of Conduct and anti corruption measures

in departments • Provision of secretariat services to the National Anti Corruption

Forum • Support to processes leading to a second National Anti

Corruption Forum • Research on conflicts of interest • Monitoring and evaluation of financial misconduct

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Looking ahead

• The PSC aims to establish itself as a center of excellence in monitoring, evaluating and investigating public administration practices

• The PSC seeks to become a proactive, knowledge based organisation visibly contributing to improved governance in South Africa

• In order to strengthen Parliament’s oversight role, the PSC will consolidate its relationship with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration & Select Committee

• In order to increase its impact, the PSC will actively monitor implementation of its recommendations by departments.

• The Portfolio Committee and Select Committee should ensure that the PSC’s recommendations are implemented.

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