As the Department of Labour (DoL) seeks to reinvent itself into a unified, efficient and seamless operation, it will not deviate from its key mandate - that of protection of vulnerable workers.
Department of Labour Director General (DG) Nkosinathi Nhleko told staff of the department at the President Hotel in Bloemfontein, Free State today, 23 April that at the core of the department’s mission was the inspection and enforcement of labour laws in line with South Africa’s labour legislation to protect the vulnerable workers.
Nhleko was speaking during a report-back session on Project Shanduka, an organisational review management initiative that is being pursued by the Department of Labour.
Project Shanduka – (Venda for change) was initiated following a DG-led national tour in 2011 after he joined the department.
The project came into being after it was found that the department was not functioning as a single entity and there was a misalignment in operations and systems.
“When there is misalignment we cannot deliver a particular service. If we are to function and do what we need to do, we need uniformity. What happens in one operation or province should also be reflected in other provinces,” Nhleko said.
According to Nhleko, the aim of the project: “is to galvanise the department into a single, efficient entity designed and geared for improved service delivery whilst ensuring that the Department is an employer of choice and learning organisation.”
Once implemented, the change management project will address matters relating to training across the structure, job evaluation, upgradings, and trimming the bloated top structures, information and communication technology systems, and inadequate tools of trade amongst others.
Nhleko embarked on report-back since the beginning of the year and the sessions will end next month. To date, he has visited KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Northern Cape. This week he will also be visiting Mpumalanga and the North West province.
