The Department of Health last night received accolades for its effective public awareness campaigns, during the occasion of the Public Sector Excellence Awards, held in Sandton near Johannesburg on 26 October 2009.
This is a private sector driven initiative to recognize and celebrate the efforts of the public sector and state-owned enterprises. It is supported by the Department of Public Service and Administration, Wits Business School, Avusa Media, eNews, SAFM, TNS and BizCommunity.
The Department of Health scooped a total of five Public Sector Excellence Awards in the following categories:
* Two awards in Leadership and Communication Awards Category of the Top Five Government Campaigns – receiving platinum for HIV and AIDS campaign and silver for Health Awareness Campaign
* Two awards in Effectiveness and Service Orientation Awards Category - snatching bronze for Overall Effectiveness; and for Internal Effectiveness
* Recognition in Public Awareness of Government Departments Category and got a certificate for high awareness of the Department amongst South Africans.
The Department was selected through a people’s perception survey called Public Sector Excellence Barometer involving face-to-face interviews with 1 500 adults, and conducted by TNS Research Surveys, to give South Africans the opportunity to assess the public sector. Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Deputy Minister Dr Molefi Sefularo have welcomed the good news.
Organised by Mr Thebe Ikalefeng the founder of Brand Leadership Academy, the Public Sector Excellence Awards officially launched by Public Service and Administration Minister Mr Richard Baloyi, emphasised use of citizen-orientated approach to enhance service delivery.
The Awards ceremony was held in the margins of the two-day Public Sector Excellence Symposium, led by guest lecturer from the University of Washington and best-seller author Nancy Lee, to provide global perspectives to the challenges faced by governments, state-owned enterprises, agencies and non-profit organizations.
The symposium, which opened with presentations from United Kingdom-based TNS Global’s political and social expert Mark Francis, marketing expert Derek Carstens, political analyst Mari Harris, creative specialist Graeme Butchart, Sunday Times Editor-in-Chief Mondli Makhanya and chartered marketer Thebe Ikalafeng, focused on social marketing to enhance service delivery in the public sector.
Attended by decision-makers and managers across government, stated-owned entities and agencies, and non-profit organizations, the symposium was hailed as a useful tool to share thoughts on local and global best practices in the public sector. Officials from the Health Department also attended the symposium.
Enquiries:
Charity Bhengu
Cell: 083 679 7424
Issued by: Ministry of Health
27 October 2009
