The end of 2009-2010 brings to an end the third five-year-term of the democratic Government set up in 1994. It is fulfilling that the Department of Public Service and Administration has been playing a pivotal role in the maturation of the democratic state both in giving strategic leadership to the administrative machinery and in spearheading its transformation into an efficient instrument well-oiled to discharge the mammoth task of delivering services to the people.
From fostering a culture of compassion and dedication towards the citizenry among civil servants under the banner of the Batho Pele programme towards a process of achieving labour peace and stability with public sector labour unions, the Department has firmly grounded itself as a leader in public service excellence.
DPSA have also continued to play a central role in the African Peer Review Mechanism processes and have ensured that South Africa takes the lead in influencing the path in the continental pubic administration and management discourse, the anti-corruption drive and the post-conflict reconstruction programmes. The Department has also ensured that the country remains loyal to its commitment to international protocols obligations and country-to country bilateral agreements.
As part of an agenda of progressively realizing its objectives, the Department has resolved, amongst others, to consolidate the development of a public service cadre that embraces the ethos of Batho Pele, ubuntu and one who is whole-heartedly committed to serving the people. This, will help introduce a culture change amongst frontline staff and reposition public servants to comply with acceptable behavioural practices. The DPSA has resolved to strengthen interventions in addressing people, process and technology challenges in the public service and identified the need to establish mechanisms that will help tackle corruption.
The call by the President to work faster in delivering services to citizens requires constant review of plans. In the year under review the Department has been working together with the institutions falling under the portfolio of Public Service and Administration to interrogate and sharpen collaborative response to realizing the objectives of common mandate. It is for this reason that DPSA has been planning and have set in motion collaborative platforms that will help track progress in implementing programmes.
It is hoped that the achievements the DPSA has made thus far would strengthen the resolve to take service delivery to higher levels.
Last update: 27 January 2011