Senior Management Conference 2008

Date: 8-9 September 2008
Venue: Feather Market Convention Centre, Port Elizabeth

Theme: "Delivering the People's Contract through a seamless Public Service."

Background

The Senior Management Service (SMS) conference is an annual event and has run since the introduction of the SMS framework in 2001. A total of ±500 senior managers in the Public Service are yearly given the opportunity to attend. The conferences are devoted to presentations on key issues and challenges which are relevant to address priority issues of the Public Service. Speakers drawn from local and international public and private sectors are given the opportunity to share best practices and experiences with the delegates. The event is also an opportunity for members of the executive to address the SMS members.

Aim of the annual conference

The overall aim of the conference is to create a platform and an opportunity for SMS members in the public service to convene as a group for the following reasons:

Networking

• Allows SMS members to meet with their peers and to share experiences in order to adopt best practices.
• Creates an opportunity for SMS members to meet and share experiences with international and continental speakers with regard to SMS issues.
• Creates a space for business leaders to share business practices and principles that can benefit SMS members.

Motivational sessions

• Creates an opportunity for SMS members to meet with the Minister for the Public Service and Administration (MPSA) and it gives the Minister an opportunity to address the delegates directly and collectively.
• Creates an opportunity to meet other motivational speakers who can boost the morale of SMS members, including political leaders such as Ministers, MECs, Premiers, the Deputy President, and the President

Professionalism

• Develops a culture of professional and ethical behaviour.
• Promotes service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness in the Public Service.
• Creates a forum for debate and discussion on professionalism in the senior management service.
• Evaluates the new dispensation of the SMS in order to identify gaps and possible interventions.
• Creates learning sessions for SMS members.
• Reviews new developments in the SMS.

THE 7th SMS CONFERENCE 2008

The 7th SMS Conference is to be held in the Eastern Cape at the Feather Market Convention Centre. The theme for the 2008 SMS Conference is "Delivering the People's Contract through a seamless Public Service."

The Conference will also open up debates through high level panel discussions and will include experts in the field of Public Management and Administration both nationally and internationally. Members of the private sector will also form an integral part of the discussions.

The 2008 SMS Conference creates an opportunity to capture the essence of the political-administrative interface by capturing the views of political and administrative leaders in the Public Service. The Conference also creates an enabling environment for private sector participation.

The intentions of the Conference will be to encourage discussion centered around the massifications of the Single Public Service.

The following are the intended objectives:

• Identifying the roles and responsibilities in the single public service
• Analysis of the intervention as a mechanism to improve service delivery
• South Africa taking the lead with regard to improved governance.
• Deliberating the specific legislations in light of the new intervention.

The expected outcomes of the Conference are to:

• Improved leadership abilities of senior managers
• Improved understanding of the single public service as a government initiative.
• Improved levels of understanding in terms of the relevance of accountability and compliance.

The Conference will be one and a half day. The first day will focus on plenary presentations and will move into a panel discussion. The latter half of the first day will focus on the workshops concentrating on topics of interest, stemming from the overall theme. There will be a report back session prior to closure of the first day.

The second and last day of the Conference will open up a private sector view on the single public service and it's impact economically, socially and technologically.

Intended Audience

The Conference is aimed at attracting Senior Management Service members from national, provincial and local government based on the communication that was forwarded to all Heads of Department.

Programme

DAY 1

• Opening and welcome
  Mr M Sogoni, Premier: Eastern Cape Provincial Administration
• Purpose and objectives of the SMS Conference, 2008
  Prof. R.M Levin, Director-General: Department of Public Service and Administration (dpsa)
  • A Reflection of past SMS Conferences
  • Achievements and Challenges
  • The way forward: The Leadership Development Management Strategic Framework
  • Creating an enabling environment for the establishment of the Single Public Service
• Keynote Address: Strengthening the three spheres of government through a seamless public service
  Ms GJ Fraser-Moleketi, Minister for the Public Service and Administration
• Municipal Support and Intervention Framework
• SALGA’s plan of action in promoting a seamless public service
  Councilor S Somyo, NEC Member of SALGA, Chair of Working Group: Municipal Labour and HR

WORKSHOPS (Information sharing and further consultation)

• WORKSHOP 1:
• Public Administration and Management Bill
• Presenter: Adv E Van Schoor: Chief Director, Department of Public Service and Administration
• Rapporteur: Dr S Senabe: Chief Director, Department of Public Service of Administration
• Resource person: Adv E Van Schoor: Chief Director, Department of Public Service and Administration
• WORKSHOP 2:
• Service Delivery Obligations by SMS members
• Presenter: Ms O Ramsingh, Director-General: Public Service Commission
• Rapporteur: Dr E Ijeoma: Senior lecturer, University of Pretoria
• Resource person: Mr E Africa, Deputy Director-General, Department of Provincial and Local Government
• WORKSHOP 3:
• Government wide monitoring and evaluation within a seamless public service: Setting performance standards
• Presenters: Dr E Kornegay: Deputy Director-General: Department of Public Service and Administration and Ms R Engela, Chief Director, Monitoring and Evaluation: The Presidency
• Rapporteur: Mr E Williams, Deputy Director-General: Department of Education: Northern Cape
• Resource person: Mr O Seale: Deputy Director-General: Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy

• Workshop 1 report back
• Workshop 2 report back
• Workshop 3 report back

DAY 2

• Introducing effective strategies in public administration leadership for seamless service delivery: An academic perspective
  Professor J O Kuye, Dean of the School for Public Management and Administration: University of Pretoria
• Productivity management for improved service delivery
  Mr H Mkhize, Executive Director: National Economic Development and Labour Council
• Summary of key issues
  Mr M Diphofa, Deputy-Director General: Office of the Public Service Commission