The 2nd Annual Service Delivery Learning Network
Date: 29th March - 1st April 2005
Venue: Emnotweni Arena, Nelspruit
Purpose of the learning network
The fundamental challenge facing government in its entirety has always been to deliver quality services in keeping with the principles of Batho Pele. in Pursuance of a new, fresh, progressive paradigm of accelerating service delivery using the spirit of Batho Pele, the Public Service has to be steadily transformed into a hub of excellence where constant learning occurs.
The primary purpose and objectives of the Batho Pele Learning Network is to create a platform for both the back and front office operations of government to:
- Explore and reach a common understanding on Batho Pele and its significance in the business of government particularly service delivery.
- To increase opportunities for bench marking and exchanging ideas on how to mainstream and institutionalise Batho Pele within the Public Service.
- To share knowledge and appropriate methodologies and also learn from each other based on practical experiences in implementing Batho Pele on the ground
- Enable public Sector institutions to develop a strategic profile to match the requirements of a developmental state
- Constantly develop and preserve skills and knowledge base that will contribute towards the provision of quality services.
The case for learning in the Public Service
Its imperative to transform the Public Service for enhanced and modernised service delivery. progress on the transformation of service delivery is hampered by backlogs, insufficient capacity to interpret policies for implementation and capacity to implement
The learning network will then address challenges of delivering services in line with the principles of Batho Pele that require that services be rendered in different ways. In this knowledge economy, knowledge is always at the core of all the functions in government and is viewed as raw material for what governments does to meet its constitutional mandate. It is therefor imperative for this intellectual capital to be managed as a critical asset
Mpumalanga Province attempts to find solutions to its service delivery challenges through instituting various projects and processes and systems to maximise its efforts. Some of these efforts yielded positive result and valuable knowledge have been generated. The unfortunate consequence is that this crucial information is not shared, resulting in the costly duplication of efforts. Mpumalanga Provincial Government will host a Public Service conference, which serves as a solution finding mission for the purpose of sharing best practices, experiences, methodologies and case studies with other provinces.
Successful organizations globally have discovered that cultivating learning networks or communities of practice is the keystone of an effective learning knowledge strategy
The platform of Learning Networks are an ideal facility for public managers to network, engage on issues of common concern, share problem sand frustrations and collaboratively devise new methods and ideas for tracking them. The support of learning is thus a key strategic activity in the process of building an adaptive and learning public service and, along the lines of a learning organisation enhancing organisational innovation.
Target groups
National Director-Generals, Chief directors, Directors, and Middle Management from Mpumalanga and other provinces have been invited to present case studies on their experiences of implementing Batho Pele on the ground. The conference will be attended by Municipalities, Parastatals, Government departments and officials from SAPS.
The conference will focus on the following themes:
- From Strategy to accelerated implementation
- Creating visible service delivery impact on poverty and alleviation
- Restructuring of State Assets and State Institutions for Effective Service Delivery
- Building Systems of Performance Accountability and Transparency, Efficiency and Institutional Effectiveness.
Day One, 29 March 2005
Theme: From Strategy to accelerated implementation
Program Director: Thulani Mdakane, Provincial Coordinator, Service Delivery Improvement Programme Mpumalanga
- Opening and welcome
Adv MS Soko
Director General Mpumalanga
- Key thrusts of the Government Delivery Agenda in the second Decade of Democracy
Khaya Ngema
Executive Manger, Service Delivery Improvement, DPSA
- Aligning Budgeting to Provincial Priorities to Enhance Service Delivery
Kefiloe Masiteng
Chief Director Presidency
Commission 1: Effective implementation of the provincial growth and development strategy
- Key challenges in the PGDS implementation in Mpumalanga
Charles Magagula
Macro policy and Strategy, Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga
Commission 2: Monitoring Evaluation Case Studies
Commission 3: Enhancing intergovernmental systems to support integrated planning and service delivery
- Strengthening effective decision support systems through effective cluster committee
Jasper Ngobeni
Director Cabinet Secretariat Office of the Premier Mpumalanga
- Stenghening the effective functioning of the Premiers Coordinating Forum (A Kwa-zulu Natal Case Study)
Sipha Mandla-Mbambo
Acting Director Intergovernmental Relatins, Office of the Premier Kwa-zulu Natal
Day Two, 30 March, 2005
Theme: Creating visible service delivery impact on poverty and alleviation
Program Director: Muzi Maziya, Premier's Economic Advisor Mpumalanga
- Strategies for Accelerating Growth of the Second economy: Bridging the Divide between the First and the Second Economies
Prof. RM Levin
Director General, DPSA - Progress and Challenges on the Implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme in Mpumalanga
Mr. F Motha
Senior Manager Department of Public Works Mpumalanga
- Zibambele Project and the Role of Rural Road Transport Forums (RRTF's) in Community Empowerment
Rosheek Maipath
Manager Transport Planning, Department of Transport Kwa-zulu Natal
- Increasing Agricultural investment in Rural areas to deal with the Challenges of Poverty and Unemployment
Hon MEC M Masuku
Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, Mpumalanga
Empowering Woman to participate in the global Economy Through Creating Export Opportunities
Ms M Mbatha
Senior Manager Department of Trade and Industry
Commission 1: Mainstreaming previously disadvantaged groups into the first economy
- Industrial cluster development and its impact on black economic empowerment (Mpumalanga case study)
Nomguneka Majaj
Chief director, Economic development and Planning, Mpumalanga
- Impact of Umsobomvu fund towards economic empowerment of the youth in Mpumalanga
Sakki Moshapo
Provincial manager, Youth Commision, Umsobomvu Youth Fund
- Building municipal capacity to implement the expanded public programmes
Mr VJC Maseko
Executive director of planning, Gert Sibanda district municipality
Commission 2: Strengtening empowerment through development of partnerships
- Exploiting Mpumalanga;s agricultural potential for the empowerment of woman, youth and people with disabilities
M Sithole
HOD Departments of Agriculture Mpumalanga
- Strengthening the implementation of NEPAD through regional twinning partnerships (case study od Mpumalanga and Mozambique)
Joe Mbenyane
Deputy director, Intergovernmental relations and protocol, Office of the Premier, Mpumalanga
- Lessons from international twinning partnerships and impact on development and service delivery (case study North West Manitoba)
Sandi Mbu Director
International relations, Office of the Premier, North West province
Commission 3: BEE policy instruments vs. practical realties on the ground
- Monitoring and evaluating the implementation and impact of the BEE policies in Mpumalanga
December Mahlangu
Deputy director, Macro-policy and planning, Mpumalanga - Land restitution programmes in Mpumalanga and benefits and challenges for community empowerment
Provincial land claims commissioner - Positioning the province for 2010 world cup spin-offs that will impact on development and service delivery
Bruno Vilane
Municipal manager, Mbombela Municipality
Day Three, 31 March 2005
Theme: Restructuring of State Assets and State Institutions for Effective Service Delivery
Program Director: Mashupye Matlala, IPSP Provincial Coordinator, Limpopo
- Repositioning of Provincial Parastatals for Effective Governance and Service Delivery
MEC SW Lubisi
Economic Development and Planning Mpumalanga
- Progress towards the Revitalisation of Provincial Hospitals to create centres of Service Excellence (Case Study)
Dr Keith Michael
Department of Health Mpumalanga
- Lessons from Hospital Revitalisation Programme in Limpopo (Case Study)
Dr Buthelezi
Department of Health Limpopo
Commission 1: Restructuring and positioning of public entities institution in Mpumalanga
- Mpumalanga economic empowerment corporation
Dr R Ralila
General manager corporate services, MEEC
Mr VS Mahlanga
Chief executive officer MADC
- Increased foreign direct investment to support job creation in Mpumalanga
Musi Sikhosana
Chief executive officer, Mpumalanga investment initiative
Commission 2: Centres of excellence
- Centres of excellence in safety and security
Mr L Wahab
Director SAPS - HIV/AIDS
Mrs Majola
South coast hospice
Commission 3: Premier's service excellence awards case studies(dvd's)
- Mpumalanga 2004 winner, Johan Bosch Swartfontein treatment centre
- Premier's award of excellence in integration and consolidation of awards in Mpumalanga
Mr J Sikhosana
Manager Transformation office of the Premier, Mpumalanga - Limpopo mobile services
Mr L Wahab
Director SAPS
Day Four, 1 April 2005
Theme: Building Systems of Performance Accountability, Transparency, Efficiency and Institutional Effectiveness
Program Director: Cecilia Khuzwayo, IPSP Provincial Coordinator
- Lessons Learned from Collapse of Government and Service Delivery Systems in Municipalities
Michelle Layte
Manager Intergovernmental Planning Department of Local and Provincial Government
- Developing Effective Anti - Corruption and Risk Management Measures within Public Institutions
Thabani Zulu
Head Kwa-zulu Natal Internal Audit Unit, Provincial Treasury
- Streaming Back - office Operations to strengthen the Service Delivery Value Chain: Presentation on the implementation of the Social Development Information Management System (SDIMS) in the Eastern Cape
Charmaine Roberts
Department of Social Services Eastern Cape
- Cutting Red Tape in Government to speed up effective implementation of Batho Pele (Service Delivery)
Mankwana Maela
Acting Chief Director Government Internal Consulting Service
- Closing Remarks and closing
Adv MS Soko
Director General Mpumalanga
