Public Service and Administration Minister, Ms Noxolo Kiviet described the framework to professionalise the public service space as a game changer for the 6th administration’s priority 1 of building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.
Delivering her maiden Budget Vote Speech at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Cape Town on Tuesday, Ms Kiviet said the framework is being implemented through the collaborative efforts like the National School of Government (NSG) led its development.
“The Professionalisation Framework for the Public Sector is a game changer for government’s pursuit of priority 1 of the 6th Administration, namely the Building of a Capable, Ethical and Developmental State.
“We invite the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to work with us for the full implementation of the framework by all sectors including the 10 Legislatures, local governments, national and provincial departments, and all government owned entities.
“We are happy to report that the DPSA is working with the Mpumalanga Provincial government to Professionalisation Champions in their departments,” she said.
Minister Kiviet said this will streamline the integration of the framework in the Performance Agreements of officials and Annual Performance Plans and Annual Operational Plans of department to ensure that there is ownership and accountability.
“As we promote meritocracy, we are extending pre-entry examinations and competency assessments to the whole of the Public Service and revising the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) for effective management of performance, productivity, and development of staff,” said Minister Kiviet.
One of the fundamental objectives of the professionalisation framework is to ensure that only qualified and competent individuals are appointed into positions of authority.
In pursuit of a transformed, professional, ethical, capable, and developmental public administration, the Minister said the DPSA is championing the effective implementation of the professionalisation framework.
The DPSA budget allocation for the 2023/24 financial year is R553,460 m) which is an increase of 1% from the final allocation for the 2022/23 financial year.
- Compensation of employees constitutes R300 million or 54% of the total budget allocation.
- Goods and Services is R194 million, and Capital budget is R6 million.
- Transfer payments is R52 million, and R45.8m will be transferred to the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) as budget allocation for their activities for the 2023/24 financial year.
The DPSA consists of five (5) programmes which collectively are expected to lead the Public Service through norms and standards on:
- Human Resource Planning and Development.
- Performance Management and Development.
- Employee Health and Wellness.
- Wage Bill Management.
- Negotiations and Labour Relations Management.
- Discipline, integrity, and ethics management.
- Rolling out eGovernment, eServices and cyber security.
- Service Access, revitalising the infusion of the Batho Pele Principles in the public service, improving the functionality of government and accessibility; and
- Innovation, public participation, and knowledge management.
Minister Kiviet also announced that the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill was presented today, Tuesday to a Cabinet Committee for publication and public comments.
“We aim to secure the enactment of the Bill into law within the current financial year and this will reposition the Public Service Commission (PSC) as a bulwark of good governance in our country.
“Once enacted into law, the PSC Bill will enable the conversion of the Office of the Public Service Commission (OPSC) from a government department in terms of the Public Service Act of 1994, into an independent PSC Secretariat that is established in terms of the Public Service Commission Act.
“This is to ensure that the PSC executes its mandate fully as an independent and impartial Constitutional oversight entity.
“The mandate of the PSC will be reinforced and extended to local government and public entities in line with section 196(2) of the Constitution,” she said.
The PSC according to the Minister is a critical partner in the implementation of the professionalisation framework as it plays an oversight and guiding role in ensuring that the public service is ethical in recruitment, employment, and governance management.
