Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Mr Senzo Mchunu, today opened the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) 13th Annual Public Sector Innovation Conference at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg taking place on the 28 – 29 November 2019.
The conference will culminate in the 17th CPSI Public Sector Innovation Awards on the 29th of November 2019 and winners will be announced for the category of Innovative Solutions Reducing the Cost of Delivering Services, Call for Public Sector Innovation Ambassadors, Champions and Trailblazers, Citizen-focused Innovations and the Innovations harnessing 4IR Solutions.
The CPSI is a government component reporting to the Minister for the Public Service and Administration and is mandated to drive and entrench the culture and practice of innovation in the public sector to improve service delivery.
The theme for the 2019 Public Sector Innovation Conference is ‘DESIGN THINKING, FORESIGHT and INNOVATION’.
Speaking at the event, Minister Mchunu said the 2019 Public Sector Innovation conference taking place at the beginning of the 6th Administration, will provide a critical platform to encourage and advance the adoption of innovation, design thinking and foresight as catalysts for improved service delivery by the public sector to achieve the seven bold priorities as set out by the President.
The conference is attended by decision-makers from the three spheres of government, innovation practitioners, system developers, service delivery champions, partners from the private, NGO and as well as academic sectors.
Minister Mchunu said the conference should look at the priorities of the 6th Administration and make a contribution with innovation to make a success of the priorities.
He said public servants need to take a lead in creating a public service that has integrity and is ethical, “we need public servants who can give the government that image of integrity and good ethics.”
The Minister said the country cannot move forward if it is dominated by acts of corruption and being stuck in the past, “it is only when we embrace the positives in the country that we will start making progress”.
He praised the CPSI for the innovative and design thinking that the organization applied at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital where children living with cerebral palsy were presented with stand up boxes. “We thank the CPSI for making the children and staff members at the hospital happy.
He urged the conference to initiate new thinking to address realities that affect citizens with innovative ideas. “Even those who are completely discouraged or are about to retire should help us with new ideas that will move the public service in the direction that will fast-track service delivery.
“As for corruption, you have to turn your back full swing against corruption. Let us look forward, let us turn around…we are coming quite hard on corruption,” he said.
