20 June 2007
Today, on Wednesday, 20 June 2007, the Minister for the Public Service and
Administration, Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, delivered a speech to the
National Assembly in relation to the adoption of the Public Service Amendment
Bill.
Primarily, the aim of the Bill is to improve the organisational and human
resource framework of the Public Service in order to enhance the capacity of
this important machinery of the State to deliver services more effectively.
We have noted with regret that certain sections of our society � clearly
lacking or failing to comprehend the necessary information that forms the basis
of our plans to create a Single Public Service � have resorted to scare
mongering. They see the initiative as a plot to centralise power. Yet, the
facts are as follows:
* The Bill contains new measures to improve compliance with the Public
Service Act: These measures include investigations and directions in terms of
the Constitution by the Public Service Commission and the obligatory
implementation of these directions by political and administrative heads. The
Bill also makes proposals for the improvement of compliance by providing for
compulsory disciplinary steps against transgressors and mandatory reporting in
respect of such steps.
* The Bill will enhance our anti-corruption initiatives: It introduces
anti-corruption measures to prohibit the re-employment of persons in the public
service dismissed for specified kinds of misconduct, e.g. misconduct involving
corrupt activities, are also contained in the Bill. It is proposed that the
prohibition on re-employment should endure for a stipulated period and that
different periods may be prescribed by regulation in respect of different types
of misconduct.
* Some key amendments in the Bill include the introduction of government
components that will function as separate institutions within the Public
Service with their heads serving as accounting officers in terms of the Public
Finance Management Act. The component model is suitable for an institution,
with a unique identity that has specific measurable functions that can be
logically grouped in terms of a particular service delivery model. Such a
component may have original statutory functions or assigned or delegated
statutory functions or a combination of these.
A government component is partnered with a principal department, which will
assist the executive authority of that department, i.e. the responsible
Minister, in the case of a national department, with oversight of that
component on policy implementation, performance, integrated planning, budgeting
and service delivery.
While proposing this alternative service delivery model, however, it is
important to stress that it is not intended to fragment the state. On the
contrary, it responds directly to forms of fragmentation that have already
occurred through the establishment of public entities. Indeed, the government
component model will also be an institutional mechanism to reincorporate some
public entities, where appropriate and if required, into the public
service.
The Bill also proposes provisions that would enhance alignment and
co-ordination between the conditions of service of the general public service
falling under the Public Service Act, and those sectors which are part of the
public service but have their own employment legislation, where this is
desirable. Such alignment and co-ordination will take place through a committee
of the responsible Ministers.
If this Bill is adopted by Parliament and signed into law by the President,
it will contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisational
and human resource framework for national and provincial departments, by
introducing new service delivery models and enforcement mechanisms as well as
by improving the day-to-day administration of the Public Service Act.
While compliance in itself does not guarantee efficient and effective
service delivery, it is a necessary step in ensuring the improved performance
which all of us seek in public services. Indeed all the measures proposed in
this Bill are designed to enhance governance, accountability and compliance
that I am convinced will lead to better service delivery.
For further information, please contact:
Lewis Rabkin
Cell: 082 497 3220
Issued by: Ministry of Public Service and Administration
20 June 2007
