Directorate: Strategic People Management

Lower Parliament Street, Cape Town, 8001 Private Bag X9114, Cape Town, 8000

Tel: +27 21 467 2539 Fax: +27 21 467 2760 Employment and salary enquiries: 0861 92 33 22

Safe Schools: 0800 45 46 47 www.westerncape.gov.za

Reference: 20180212-9189

3/3/3/1/5

Enquiries: Call Centre

Strategic People Management Minute: 0002/2018

To: Deputy Directors-General; Chief Directors; Directors; Deputy Directors; Circuit

Managers; Heads: Management and Governance; Heads: District Curriculum

Support; Heads: District Learner Support; Principals and all Public Service Staff

Subject: Determination and directive on the Performance Management and

Development System for public service employees on salary level 1 to 12 other

than members of the Senior Management Service

1. The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) issued DPSA Circular 5 of

2017, dated 15 September 2017, to inform departments on the changes of the

Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) as well as the attached

Determination and Directive on the PMDS for employees other than members of the

Senior Management Service (SMS) to assist departments with the implementation.

2. The Determination and Directive on the PMDS for employees other than members of

the SMS issued in terms of sections 3(1), 3(2) and 4(3) of the Public Service Act, 1994

(Act 103 of 1994), read with regulations 71 and 72 of Public Service Regulation (PSR),

2016, published in Government Gazette No. 40167 of 29 July 2016, will be effective

from 01 April 2018.

3. The management of performance should still be done in a consultative, supportive

and non-discriminatory manner to enhance organisational efficiency, effectiveness

and accountability for the use of resources and the achievement of organisational

goals. Cognisance should be taken of the following major key changes:

3.1 Each Key Result Area (KRA) should be weighted as a percentage according to the

level of importance and impact it has in the employee's job. The weighting of all the

KRAs should aggregate to 100%. Note: The weight of each KRA shall not be less than

10% and shall not exceed 30%.

3.2 Employees shall identify, discuss and agree on the Generic Assessment Factors (GAFs)

that are most relevant to their area of work. The attached GAFs shall not be weighted

or assessed independently, but must be incorporated and assessed in an integrated

manner with the KRAs. GAFs describe the competency requirements, taking into

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consideration the knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to the employee’s work, i.e.

job knowledge, technical skills, acceptance of responsibility, quality of work, reliability,

initiative, communication, interpersonal relationships, flexibility, team work, planning

and execution, leadership, delegation and empowerment, and the management of

human and financial resources.

3.3 The conducting of mid-year performance reviews and annual performance

assessments are compulsory and must be in writing. The annual assessment shall

reflect the performance of the employee for the entire performance cycle (April to

March).

3.4 A four-point rating scale shall be used to assess the performance of employees other

than members of the SMS. A rating of "3" on the scale entails "fully effective". In terms

of this approach to performance rating, an employee who is rated "fully effective" has

fully complied with the requirements of the job.

The table below explains the four-point rating scale, categories of performance and

the associated descriptions:

Rating Category and score Description

1 Not effective

(less or equal to 66%)

Performance does not meet the expected standard

for the job. The review/assessment indicates that the

jobholder has achieved less than fully effective results

against all or almost all of the performance criteria

and indicators as specified in the Performance

Agreement (PA) and Work plan.

2 Partially effective

(67%–99%)

Performance meets some of the standards expected

for the job. The review/assessment indicates that the

jobholder has achieved less than fully effective results

(partially achieved) against more than half of the

performance criteria and indicators as specified in the

PA and Work plan.

3 Fully effective

(100%–119%)

Performance fully meets the standard expected in all

areas of the job. The review/assessment indicates that

the jobholder has achieved, as a minimum, effective

results against all of the performance criteria and

indicators as specified in the PA and Work plan.

4 Highly effective

(120%–133%)

Performance far exceeds the standard expected of a

jobholder at this level. The review/assessment

indicates that the jobholder has achieved better than

fully effective results against more than half/or in all

areas of the performance criteria and indicators as

specified in the PA and Work plan and maintained this

in all areas of responsibility throughout the

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performance cycle.

3.5 Only whole numbers must be used in the scoring (no decimals numbers, e.g. 3,5, are

allowed).

4. It is important that the due dates as per the SPMDS calendar and planning calendar

for schools are firmly adhered to, especially the dates when the PA and six-monthly

reviews must be submitted. Employees will not benefit from receiving performance

incentives should the documents not be submitted on time.

The due dates for the 2018/2019 cycle are as follow:

Activity Due date

Conclude performance agreements 30 April 2018

Submit certificates 31 May 2018

Conclude training needs and submit certificates 31 May 2018

Conclude six-monthly reviews and submit certificates 28 September 2018

Conclude and submit final assessments scores 19 April 2019

5. Employees are discouraged from amending a PA in the last quarter of a performance

cycle (i.e. January to 31 March), unless changes to the employee’s job description,

job grade, organisational structure of the Western Cape Education Department

(WCED) or its functions or amendments to the objectives and priorities result in

significant changes to the content of the job of the employee. In such cases the

amended PA must be accompanied by a written motivation signed by the supervisor

and the head of the component.

6. If an employee is absent with permission or on precautionary suspension for a

continuous period of three months or longer, the affected employee shall be

regarded as having performed satisfactorily for that period of absence within that

applicable performance cycle (Regulation 72 (12)). Periods of prolonged absence

with permission include all types of approved leave.

7. Mechanisms for dispute resolution must include any differences which might arise out

of performance agreements, performance reviews and assessments. Any

disagreement must first be resolved internally within the

institution/unit/component/branch. If a dispute arises as contemplated in regulation

72(4) of the PSR, the Executive Authority or delegated official shall appoint a

mediator, who shall be an employee, to consider the dispute within one month after

the expiry of the due date for signing of the PA.

8. Employees who are appointed on probation are compelled to complete four

quarterly reviews and a final assessment which will be utilised to confirm their

probation appointments.

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9. The PMDS policy of the Western Cape Government (WCG) is being amended in line

with the Determination and Directive on the PMDS.

9.1 Head Office and district office-based employees who utilise the Performance

Management Information System (PERMIS) to record PAs and conclude reviews on

are in the process of amendment. The necessary training in this regard will be

provided.

9.2 Support staff at schools will continue to follow the paper-based PA and review

process. The existing forms for the PA and individual development plan, i.e. Annexure

A and B, should still be utilised for the 2018/2019 cycle. Relevant training and training

material will be provided and further communication relating to changes to the six-

monthly and annual performance reviews will follow.

10. Kindly bring the content of this minute to the attention of all staff under your

supervision.

SIGNED: LJ ELY

DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: CORPORATE SERVICES

DATE: 2018-03-07