File Mangement
7 November 2003
Programme
- Registration
- Welcoming and Objectives of the workshop: Chairperson Bongani Matomela
- Gauteng Shared Corporate Services model - Ms. Athene van Mazijk, General Manager, HR Services
- Regional Back-office support services model for Eastern Cape- Ian Assam, HR Project Manager: Eastern Cape Interim Management Team
- Questions and Discussions
- Tea/Coffee and Networking
- Centralised file management system in the Eastern Cape Department of Social development - Mr Mark Rasmussen, Project Manager
- A select Eastern Cape Departmental Records Management audit: Mr Selelepoo Sebaka: National Archives Office
- Questions and Discussions on Way Forward
- Lunch and Departure
Report
1. Aims and Objectives
Streamlining and consolidation of corporate support services and management of files and document to facilitate effective and efficient front-line service delivery is one of the big challenges facing many government departments. The aims and objectives of the learning session is to share and exchange experiences on: best practices on shared corporate and other joint back office support services effective file and document management system
2. Presentatiions
1.Gauteng Shared Service Centre - Ms. Athene van Mazijk
The shared corporate services was premised on a consitutional
mandate in search of what was inhibiting service delivery in Gauteng. Findings
of a functional audit carried out in 1998 revealed that there were lots of
duplication, resources were not being optimised, disproportionate allocation of
resources and skills, etc. Decision was taken to implement a shared corporate
service centre. Athene indicated that Shared service centre is best of
centralisation and decentralisation, and she mentioned the pros and cons of
each. The centre offers five core corporate services. The centre offers services
at a competitive cost advantage, using enabling technologies, ensuring accurate
information for decision making, supporting leadership in professional support
areas, and capturing the economies of scale. This is a transformation process,
and relies very much on zeal, enthusiasm, creativity and innovation of people.
There is a document management centre which it is anticipated will handle about
1,600 000 documents per year. More than R4bn goods to be procured per annum by
the centre. A lot of lessons have been learned in the past few years of the
Centre's conceptualisation and existence, and those include the need for
political support; acknowledging risks and need to exercise caution; doing
benchmarking well; having vision as the driving force all the time; and develop
a business model and case that will work.
2. Back-office support in Eastern Cape- Mr. Ian Assam
The
back-office project is linked to other transversal projects to turn service
delivery in the province around. Project is made of two phases, viz. scoping and
then comprehensive support through service level agreements. Ten functional
areas have been identified for back-office support, and both joint and
departmental specific project delivery teams have been set up. The project idea
is based on premise that some level of centralisation is need to be established
for control and efficiencies, and insourcing that is limited outsourcing and not
total outsourcing. After two years consultants will move out, having transferred
skills.
3.Eastern Cape social development electronic file management system -
Mr. Mark Rasmussen
The problem found in the department was loss of
file and documents, and unreliable and incomplete checks and control over file
movements, resulting in delays and fraud and litigation cases against the
department. Electronic capturing and management of the files/documents was
devised as a solution.
Logistical requirements included transport, storage, equipment, personnel and security. The project involved a very detailed and intense logistical arrangements of appropriately packing in boxes and securely transporting all files from all 24 districts to one big warehouse in East London. It also involved getting the necessary IT infrastructure and system security, and other working tools and materials to do the job of capturing and electronically recording everything.
Personnel employed for the project, totalling about 800, worked two shifts a day. Processing of information involved a very detailed process of filing according to district, checking and validation to ensure correctness and authenticity of information. Processing included activating files and archiving them as well. The project went on very smoothly, and the target of 45 000 completed files a day was exceeded to 60 000.
There is now an electronic file register database. The way forward include linking this to the management information system MIS to ensure work flow monitoring, tracking of data, and ultimately ensuring a functional registry system.
Records Audit of Eastern Cape Health and Public Works departments - Mr Selelepoo Sebaka, National Archives The aim of the audit was to highlight records problems in the province and sensitise HODs on records management issues, through interviews with relevant's parties and visits to department sites. Major findings was that there was lack of senior management support; records managers were at assistant director levels; there existed no records management policy/guidelines, amongst others. Essentially it was found that in the two departments there were dysfunctional registry system, and electronic records were not managed well. With regards to provincial archives service, the problem is that there is no legislation and archives are ignored by department and their supposed transversal and central role are ignored by departments. They found the social grants project see previous presentation above as a model of excellence.
The team recommended that DGs commit their HODs to record management capacity building project; that provincial archivist be appointed to at least director level and department al records managers be appointed at senior management levels; and commitment of top management to sound records management practices.
3. Key Discussion Issues
Buy-in, support and sensitising of provinces and provincial DGs in particular on the importance of records and documents management Developing standards performance and compliance and benchmarks Funding and support work of provincial archives by departments Location of records management and archives: because it is a transversal function should it not be relocated to Premier's office? Level of records managers, mostly assistant directors and as such have no clout and influence Legislation, ensuring enforcement and compliance on records managements
4. Way Forward
| Action | Responsible person/s |
|---|---|
| The learning group/network will exchange ideas and develop proposed file standards and indicators which could be used to assess the adequacy of existing system and their applicability by applying them in departments | Louisa Venter |
| Discuss feedback on the application of indicators/standards and agree on them in the February 2004 workshop | Learning network |
| Propose a monitoring and evaluation mechanism | Learning network |
| Need to do environmental scanning as different provinces are at different levels of progress with regards to their file/records management | Learning network |
| Sensitize provincial DGs in a session | Learning network |
| Look for centres of excellence on file/records management and learn from them | Learning network |
| An e-mail/address list of the participant members of the network to be compiled and encourage others to join network | Bongani Matomela |
| Convene a workshop in February 2004 | Bongani Matomela |
Presentations
