State of the Public Service Report 2005 Presentation to the Portfolio Committee 22 June 2005

Outline Purpose of the Annual State of the Public Service Reports (SOPS) Methodology SOPS 2004 (10 year Review) SOPS 2005 Questions

Purpose of the Annual State of the Public Service Reports (SOPS) These reports provide a high-level overview of progress and challenges facing the South African public service. They focus on the 9 constitutional principles for public administration, thus directing attention to priority areas As an overarching review of the public service, the reports serve as evaluative commentary of government progress

Purpose of the State of the Public Service Report (continue) The reports also contribute to some of the debates on the transformation of the public service. The reports are important given the developmental orientation of the state, and the pressure this places on the state to perform in effecting transformation. The previous report – SOPS 2004 – was retrospective and looked at the transformation of the public service over the past 10 years. The SOPS 2005 report is forward looking, and points to some of the challenges

Methodology All research (including investigations) conducted by the PSC, and augmented by other research relevant to the 9 principles for public administration, forms the basis for commentary around that principle for the year. By focusing attention on the 9 constitutional principles of public administration, these are reinforced. In broad terms this also assists in the promotion of democratic ideals, especially around transparency, accountability and public participation.

SOPS 2004 (10 Year Review) This report departed from previous editions in that it took a retrospective perspective, spanning a period of 10 years. Its value was that it coincided with the 10 years of democracy, and allowed for a comparison between the old and new. At a broad level this report indicated major progress having been achieved by the government as a means of transformation.

SOPS 2004 (10 Year Review) The areas for attention are the translation of policy into practice, and the integration of budgets with objectives For purposes of this presentation, the recommendations made in this report are put in two broad areas: -Policy -Departmentally implementable In terms of POLICY these tend to require higher level discussions and tend to have a longer time line for implementaiton.

SOPS 2004 (10 Year Review) In terms of those that are DEPARTMENTALLY IMPLEMENTABLE, subsequent reviews will indicate whether departments have indeed taken the issues forward. Some of the areas where departments could act in the short term are: Defining more clearly intended outputs and outcomes, identifying resources required and stating what indicators can be used to define performance

SOPS 2004 (10 Year Review) Using the Medium Term Strategic Framework to define and describe objectives, thus making performance more explicit Implementing Risk Management Plans to address potential problems, and improving knowledge, skills and resources for these Integrating service delivery systems and processes, to promote efficiency, economy and effectiveness

SOPS 2004 (10 Year Review) Devising simple, practical innovations to enhance service delivery Implementing monitoring and evaluation systems to address the above, thus improving the quality of management information for more effective decision- making.

The SOPS 2005 report This report is forward looking, and builds on earlier reports. It takes the view that much has been achieved, but areas of implementation and integration remain challenges.

Principle 1: Professional ethics While the basic infrastructure has been established there remains a need for its implementation to be entrenched and integrated within the ethos of every public servant The Code of Conduct requires refinement with clear sanctions built in for non-compliance

Principle 1: Professional ethics (continue) The PSC`s national Anti-Corruption Hotline is widely used by the public and allows for the reporting of misdemeanours – this serves to promote an ethical culture Further work needs to be done in terms of understanding the whistle-blowing guidelines and legal frameworks. Vision: The future public service should be corruption resistant with an entrenched ethics infrastructure that protects the public interest from abuse by private and sectional interests.

Principle 2: Efficiency, Effectiveness and Economy While the public service is progressively starting to overcome its difficulties in spending funds, many departments are not achieving some of their strategic objectives There is the continuing problem of departments not relating their annual reports to their budgets and departments are in need of comprehensive management information systems which capture progress in capturing progress in achieving objectives

Principle 2: Efficiency, Effectiveness and Economy (continue) Performance indicators need to be better defined with management reporting requires attention This requires a better understanding of the relationship and difference between outputs and outcomes and activities and objectives

Principle 2: Efficiency, Effectiveness and Economy (continue) Vision: The future public service should have well structured human resource development strategies that focus on providing training and other support so that officials are capacitated to achieve efficiency, economy and effectiveness in their daily work This requires a series of practical and accessible guidelines to assist officials

Principle 3: Development orientation Public administration should seek to improve the quality of Citizens` life – especially the disadvantage and most vulnerable The developmental state needs to use participatory and consultative processes to achieve success rates in poverty alleviation projects

Principle 3: Development orientation (continue) The Presidency's 10 year review calls for an all- encompassing development framework for SA`s development in the next decade More programmes are needed for long term rather than short term solutions

Principle 3: Development orientation (continue) Vision: All departments should seek to address poverty through distinct interventions and by integrating the issues into the core business of the department Developmental initiatives should bridge the gap between the two economies – that meet both the aspirations of the poor and create opportunities for wealth creation.

Principle 4: Impartial, fair and equitable service delivery The provision of impartial, fair and equitable services is the clearest reflection of justice in operation. Collectively it ensures a high standard of the provision of public services Equity in particular requires an appreciation of historical circumstances Departments should be made to report on Service Delivery improvement plans in their annual reports An assessment of the extent to which the Administrative Justice Act (2002) is being implemented showed low awareness and poor implementation of the act.

Principle 4: Impartial, fair and equitable service delivery (continue) A survey of citizen’s satisfaction in the policing and justice sector revealed that expectations were generally met but that service standards and redress mechanisms still needed to be made explicit. Vision: In the future public service citizens will be empowered, knowing their rights, understanding procedures and able to actively engage. This service will have an accountability culture that comes from high levels of transparency and ongoing assessment about its performance.

Principle 4: Impartial, fair and equitable service delivery (continue) Vision: In the future public service, citizens will be empowered, knowing their rights, understanding procedures and able to actively engage. This service will have an accountability culture that comes from high levels of transparency and ongoing assessment about its performance. This high level commitment will be exemplified by the Senior Management cadre, which uses performance management systems

Principle 5: Public participation This is important as it draws people into decision making, and should involve people participating in all phases. In many instances public participation tends to be managed on an ad hoc basis although there are some efforts to ensure genuine participation. Service delivery improvements are more successful when communities are mobilised and actively involved. Participatory governance style requires clear policies and procedures, away from the ad hoc approach that often prevails.

Principle 5: Public participation Systems for managing public participation tend to be informal and ad hoc, although efforts have been made to incorporate public inputs There are isolated pockets of excellence in participation, such as the Gauteng Department of Health.

Principle 5: Public participation Vision: The future public service should be consultative and flexible enough to offer solutions in diverse applications

Principle 6: Accountability The report looked at both financial and non-financial dimensions of accountability. It was of concern that the number of qualified reports has increased, and is a major challenge to the PFMA. A total of 11 national departments received qualified audits in 2003/4, which was an increased from previous years. At the provincial level the number of unqualified audits has decreased from 51% to 37% in the health, education and social development sectors. The PSC`s management of the Head of Department evaluation process, which brings high level public servants under scrutiny for performance, has contributed to an improved performance ethos in the entire public service. Compliance with the HOD evaluation framework varied across departments and administrations.

In total 17 national and 37 provincial heads of department were evaluated. Overall, about 34% of HoDs evaluated received an outstanding performance rating, 55% received a significantly above expectations rating, and 11% received a fully effective rating.

Principle 6: Accountability (continue) Vision: In future, public service institutions should be accountable for service delivery and financial management as evaluation criteria and systems become used.

Principle 7: Transparency This involves making the workings of government visible so that citizens know what is being done with public resources The quality of annual reports has improved in recent years, although there are still a number of areas of weakness.

Principle 7: Transparency (continue) The envisaged Government Wide Monitoring and Evaluation System (GWM&ES) aims to provide accurate and reliable information on all government institutions. Vision: Annual reports should be accurate, timely and accessible and structured to provide citizens with useful information on performance. Performance information in annual reports needs to be properly linked to plans and budgets

Principle 7: Transparency (continue) The GWM&ES should be fully operation presenting useful customised reports Performance management systems should be properly implemented

Principle 8: Human Resource Management and Development Recognising that people are the most valuable asset in the public service requires that this resource must be managed effectively. Staff who are well managed tend to be productive resulting in better service delivery and performance Departments should ensure that internal human resource policies are in place and that high levels of vacancies are addressed

Principle 8: Human Resource Management and Development (continue) Departments need to consider the impact of HIV/AIDS from a strategic perspective Vision: The public service should be the employer of choice. Human resource management practices should be aligned to government's vision for a developmental state and should succeed in dealing with HIV/AIDS in the workplace.

Principle 9: Representivity Personnel practices need to be based on criteria such a ability, objectivity and fairness. Whilst progress has been made in achieving numeric targets, areas of concern remain low representivity of women in management and persons with disabilities.

Principle 9: Representivity (continue) Vision: The public service should demonstrate diversity and representivity as valued elements of improving its legitimacy A clear link between human resource planning and employment equity is needed Parliament and other oversight bodies should continue to engage with these issues to achieve this ideal

Questions?